Irina Korina
dal 29/6/2009 al 17/9/2009
Segnalato da
29/6/2009
Irina Korina
Museum Folkwang, Essen
The artist has developed various spatial installations, including an architecturally work. She is presenting a selection of objects from the last 3 years in her individual exhibition in Germany; A mosaic, colorful and pregnant with meaning, draws attention like one of those found in Moscow's famous subway stations. Irina Korina was selected as artist for the Russian pavilion at this year's Venice Biennale, together with 4 other representatives.
Curator: Dr. Sabine Maria Schmidt
Irina Korina (*1977 in Moscow) is one of Russia’s leading young artists. For the foyer of the
company headquarters in the RWE Tower, Korina has developed various spatial installations,
including an architecturally related work developed for the Tower. Furthermore, the artist is
presenting a selection of objects from the last three years in her first individual exhibition in
Germany. Irina Korina was selected as artist for the Russian pavilion at this year’s Venice Biennale,
together with four other representatives. The exhibitions Installations, from July 1st to September
18th 2009, is a continuation of the cooperation between the Museum Folkwang and the RWE AG in
the field of contemporary art. The focus of 2009 is on Russia.
A mosaic, colorful and pregnant with meaning, draws attention like one of those found in
Moscow’s famous subway stations. But this one is somehow different. From a distance wave
cosmonauts on their way into an outer space promising a new future. On their helmets, the
"CCCP" recalls Soviet hopes for success in politics and science. To reach the image in the
installation "Back to the Future", which tickles your curiosity, you follow an improvised office
corridor. But the image is only partially accessible – a wall blocks your way. The mosaic is a trompe-
l’œil, made of synthetic and painted sample tiles. The artist links political propaganda and
consumer society advertising slogans with everyday banalities.
Irina Korina, a trained stage decorator, is fond of industrially produced surfacing materials such as
wallpaper, oilcloth, mosaics, Styrofoam tiles, ceiling tiles, PVC, woodlook or flowerprint strips,
which often appear in her installations. With "camouflage" and "bricolage" as artistic strategies,
she repeatedly tackles the phenomena of artistically generated and illustrated nature. She is a
master of the spatial and monumental format. Her works are often directly related to society,
drawing their themes from media and events culture. Irina Korina consciously distances herself
from the "Moscow Conceptualists" understanding of installation, one defined by one of Russia’s
leading artists, Ilya Kabakof and which still influences the younger artists of the Russian
Confederation.
The Moscow Museum of Modern Art presented an extensive exhibition of Irina Korina’s works at
the beginning of 2009; which allowed a first overview of her plastic works of the last ten years.
Irina Korina studied t the Moscow Theater Academy and took courses at the ICA Moscow and the
Soros Contemporary Art Center in 1999 and 2000. She then studied abroad at the art academy in
Gothenburg in Sweden and at the art academy in Vienna from 2002 to 2005. The artist lives and
works in Moscow.
The exhibition accompanies a program of events with talks and events for children and teenagers.
There is a free catalogue brochure (16 pages, Ger/Eng/Russ)
Note Bene: The installation "The Palace of Projects" by Ilya and Emilia Kabakof has been in place in
the salt room of the Zollverein Coking Plant in Essen since 1999.
Image: Without title, 2009
Press contact
Hendrik von Boxberg Tel +49 (0)201 - 8845160 Fax +49 (0)201 - 8845001 Email presse@museum-folkwang.essen.de
Press Preview: June 30, 2009, 11 a.m.
Opening: June 30, 2009, 7 p.m., RWE Tower
The artist will be present
Museum Folkwang in the RWE Tower
Opernplatz 1, 45128 Essen Germany
Opening hours RWE Tower: Mo-Fr 10 – 6, Entrance Free