“Les Fleurs du...” — solo exhibition of artist Pahom (Sergey Pahomov) — is set to launch at GUM-Red-Line Gallery on February 28, 2023. The exposition includes paintings and photographs created by the artist in 2022–2023. Some of the oeuvres were made in partnership with Pahom’s frequent collaborator, the artist Marinesca. Pahom will present his performance art piece “The Great Incumbency 27.02.23” during the formal opening of the project. The piece will be captured on film and included in the exposition.
Project curator Mikhail Sidlin notes that the title of the exhibition — “Les Fleurs du…” — refers art lovers to the famous collection “Les Fleurs du mal” by French poet Charles Baudelaire. From the core of 10 large paintings light comes out in the form of flower petals. This light could be compared with the concepts of mana and khvarenah found in Melanesian and Persian cultures, respectively, i.e., the magic powers of prophets of video game characters. Pahom’s work is notable for its melange of various traditions, cultural codes, and events. This penchant allows the artist to significantly expand the framework and formats of his creative endeavours in all their guises, be they artistic, thespian, musical, or performative.
One of the corner stones and, indeed, the inciting incident of the project is the performance art piece “The Great Incumbency 27.02.23.” The artist approaches performance art as a Dionysian spectacle, a celebration of life in all its richness. The greatest value of Pahom’s artworks is the affirmation of love towards life and joy, embodied in the eclectic approach of the artist.
The exhibition is centred around 10 new large-scale paintings (2 × 1.5), created specifically for this latest project. Pahom combines visual elements of psychedelic culture with Eastern motives, the heritage of Soviet and post-Soviet underground culture. Curator Mikhail Sidlin observes that these pieces mark a new period of massive artworks by the artist. This is proven true once the viewer examines each of the paintings in combination with digital photographs depicting Pahom. Both the paintings and the photographs will be available for viewing at GUM-Red-Line.
Retaining the status as one of the protagonists of metamodern culture, Pahom creates his own pantheon of “gods,” visions that the audience can observe passing in quick succession through mass culture and subconsciousness. Pahom acts as a universal equalizer of all cultural layers. The artist Marinesca assists him in bringing his ideas to full fruition. Among the spirits “captured” and “documented” in the exposition, one can see the devil on ice-skates and Kashpirovsky, Rasputin and the boxer, the mad Pierrot and the human cactus, all united as self-portraits of the artist. Some of them recall televised kitsch, some of them are inspired by the great artworks of the past and chef-oeuvres of the Golden Age of mythology.
Project curator — Mikhail Sidlin.
Pakhom.
Les fleurs du…
28 february — 16 april 2023
