Vasilisa
Lebedeva
I am a cross-disciplinary artist and co-founder of the Art.Boloto creative community.
In my work I address the concept of mythological structure by incorporating elements and characters from myths and folktales. Elements of various myths are molded into a new system of my own through which I work with such themes as human awareness, human interaction, and the connection with the surrounding world. I explore the projection of the fairy tale world structure into a format of personal and historical mythology.
As an example, the image of my “Cheburashka” refers to the legacy of Soviet mass culture, the archaic past, genetic memory and the inner alter-ego. Being created out of felt this project is also a reference to the palpable and olfactory memory of the past.
In the project entitled “The Hut” a five-meter interactive sculpture was created using melted plastic. In this project, just like in the large-scale felt works (“The Cocoons”, “The Egg”), it was important for me to achieve a multi-level experience of interaction between the viewer and my work.
My current projects involve active use of ceramics and combining clay with other materials in sculpture format. I also continue my work with felt and textile creating large-scale installations.
I live and work in Moscow.
Artist’s Statement
CV
31.10.1984. - Born in Novosibirsk. Lived and studied there until 2005.
Education:
2020 - 2022 - Institute of Contemporary Art Moscow
2019 - 2020 - “Free Workshops” School of Modern Art at the Moscow Museum of Modern Art
2019 - 2020. - British Higher School of Design. Modern Art.
2014-2016 - British Higher School of Design. Clothes design foundation course.
2012 - British Higher School of Design. Pre-foundation courses.
2007 - 2012 - Moscow State Pedagogical University. Post-graduate program. Ph.D. in Philology
Residencies:
1.07 - 30.12. 2022 - “SVODY” GES-2 HOUSE OF CULTURE MOSCOW
18.03 - 22.04. 2022 - Residency at the Fabrika Project Moscow
24.07 - 2.08.2021 - “Art Dacha” Residency at the Riabushinsky Dacha Estate in Vishny Volochek, Russia
12.07 - 15.07.2021 - Nikolay Polissky Creative Lab in Nikola-Lenivets, Russia (by the New Tretyakov Gallery)
14.03 - 20.03.2020 - “Vetki” Residency Moscow Region
Curator Projects:
(Within the ART.Boloto art community) - www.artboloto.com
06.2022 - Culture Code residency in Vishny Volochek, Tver region
12.2021-02.2022 – «White on White» Apothecary Garden Moscow
27.05-18.06.2021 - AVOS’ outdoor exhibition Moscow Region
27.12.2020-10.01.2021 - “Waiting room” at the exhibition space “NAZAVOD”
10.12.2020 - 17.01.2021 - “Weather Forecast” outdoor exhibition Moscow Region
05.09.2020 - Art Boloto outdoor event and exhibition Moscow Region
Selected group exhibitions 2020-2021:
17 - 22.04. 2022 - “Trud! May! Prorastay!” follow-up to Fabrika residency
24.02 - 03.04.2022- “Russian, Folk” ROSIZO Museum
23.12.21 - 23.02.2022 - “White on White” Residency-Exhibition by Art.Boloto community
01.10 - 17.10.2021 - “Dreams of Freedom. Postscriptum” The New Tretyakov Gallery
03.10 - 03.11.2021 - “ROMANTICISM” Tretyakov Gallery Lab
07.09 - 12.09.2021 - Blazar Exhibition (in cooperation with BHSD).
21.05 - 08.08.2021 - “ALTERGLOBALISMO” Gallery Belyaevo
08.07 - 01.08.2021 - “Beauty as Subculture” Gallery Peresvetov lane
17.06 - 25.07.2021 - «Multiplicity» at the “VINZAVOD OPEN”
17.06 - 25.07.2021 - «The Time of Things” at the “VINZAVOD OPEN”
05.2021 - 07.2021 - “AVOS’” from “Art.Boloto”
23.04 - 30.04 - “Future visual code” Omelchenko Gallery
04.03 - 04.04.2021 - “Space within us” Gallery Peresvetov lane
06.02 - 28.03.2021 - “Subconsciousness” Gallery Nagornay
05.02 - 28.02.2021 - “Template people” Gallery FEDINI
02.02 - 28.02.2021 - “Dream of sea” “ROSIZO” pavilion 516 ”BOOK” VDNH.
08.02 - 28.02.2021 - “HOME SWEET HOME” - Zverevskiy centre
27.12.2020 - 10.01.2021 - “Waiting room” exhibition space “NAZAVOD”
12.2020-01.2021 - “Weather Forecast” by Art.Boloto community
10.10 - 15.11.2020 - Workshop 20’20 Homo communicans - Moscow Museum of Modern Art program for young artists. A special project of the VII Moscow International Biennale for Young Art
1.10 - 1.11.2020 - “Map of Human Nature” ROSIZO State Museum and Exhibition Center. A Special project of the VII Moscow International Biennale for Young Art
“Cheburashka”- series of felt projects “Personal Space”
This sculpture is a continuation of my felt project series. Previous large-scale installations helped create a space for experiencing emotions, while this object allows for interaction with a tactile sculpture. There are references to Ancient vases, archaic images of the world tree (the connection to kin and past generations) - and to a toy from childhood - Cheburashka.
Cheburashka - 3, 2022
Interactive sculpture. Felt, plastic, wire, filing. 40х40х35сm
“Fairytale 1”- “Personal Mythology series”
Cheburambra (flower), 2022
Blue fired clay, majolica
25х23х23 см
The Hut, 2022
Blue fired clay, majolica
29,5х20х19 см
Bright-eyed mycelia, 2022
Blue fired clay, majolica
16х15х12 см
Cheburmadra (flower bud), 2022
Sculpture - whistle toy. Ceramics, majolica
24х24х22 см
“Fairytale 2”- “Personal Mythology series”
Cheburkost, 2022
Sculpture - whistle toy. Ceramics, majolica
28х15х16 см
Nutwood wall
Sculpture. Ceramics, majolica
25х16х11 см
Ореховая перегородка, 2022
Скульптура, керамика, майолика
25х16х11 см
Project in development
Currently I am working on two projects:
These works are inspired by the idea of portals as energy points between worlds where one can face oneself as if entering meditation between worlds
Sketches
Dead and living water fountain
Mirrors:
“Cleansing by fire”
“Double reflection”
Scratchboard series “Grounding”// Серия работ в технике граттаж
Black Slate 4, “Still Life with Flowers”. 2022
Series of scratchboard works. Plywood, candle wax, acryl, ink.
75х75 см.
Sometimes one has to start over on a clean slate. But what if these new circumstances offer us a new life in darkness? How does one start over on a black slate?
Scratchboard series “Grounding” // Серия работ в технике граттаж
Black Slate 5, “The Harvest”. 2022
Series of scratchboard works. Plywood, candle wax, acryl, ink.
75х75 см.
Sometimes one has to start over on a clean slate. But what if these new circumstances offer us a new life in darkness? How does one start over on a black slate?
Light. 2022
Sculpture. Church candles, plywood, acryl
40х40х40, 75х75 см.
Scratchboard series “Grounding”
Flowerbed 3. 2022
Land art sculpture.
Materials: Flowers, earth, rocks, bowl, pot, blouse, paint, plastic bottles, nails, tree stump.
This work is a part of the “Grounding” project in which I continue my study of city flowerbeds. While in the Vishny Volochek art residency I took photos of various flowerbeds in town and analyzed how they are different from the ones in Moscow. I found them to be bigger, made with more freedom and more materials - kitchenware, pots and plastic bottles. This work is a land art sculpture made using methods from Russian regions and transforming them using city materials and conditions.
100х100х75 сm.