Valera & Natasha Cherkashin
dal 4/12/2002 al 24/12/2002
Segnalato da
4/12/2002
Valera & Natasha Cherkashin
Fleet Bank, New York
Favorite Portraits of People in the World. These internationally recognized artists, photographers, performers, and lecturers from Moscow are no strangers to RACC. Curator Regina Khidekel has included the works of the Cherkashins in some of the most famous shows of Russian and American artists that have taken place in the USA.
Favorite Portraits of People in the World
The Russian-American Cultural Center (RACC) is pleased to announce the
opening of its new exhibition "Favorite Portraits of People in the World" by
Valera and Natasha Cherkashin. These internationally recognized artists,
photographers, performers, and lecturers from Moscow are no strangers to
RACC. Curator Regina Khidekel has included the works of the Cherkashins in
some of the most famous shows of Russian and American artists that have taken
place in the USA, including "It's the Real Thing: Soviet and Post-Soviet Sots
Art and American Pop Art" (1998) and "DUMBO Double Deuce" (2001).
Last year in November 2001, in an effort to strengthen the spirit of our
city, the Russian-American Cultural Center reopened its gallery in Lower
Manhattan next to the wounded, still-smoking area of the World Trade Center
with Valera & Natasha Cherkashin's exhibit "Mirages of Empires".
It is significant that the new exhibit will take place at the Empire State
Building's Fleet Bank location. It touches upon two major themes of the
Cherkashin's works: "Mirages of Empires" (1995), which illustrates through
architectural landmarks the way national monuments have reflected history and
shaped the culture of great nations, and "Favorite Portraits of People in the
World" (1998), which centers around vanishing icons - monetary units of old
Europe. Decorated with portraits of great personalities, these national
currencies are truly masterpieces of art. Now out of business, these
antiquated bank notes are used to create new art objects with the goal of
restoring some their value. The installation covers the transition from old
monetary units as it blends into the use of the single European faceless
currency, the Euro.
The purpose of working with historical, controversial issues is to create a
nostalgic and romantic commemoration of epochs that have passed and empires
that have vanished. While living in Moscow, the Cherkashins have strong
connectictions with New York, constantly contributing new works to their New
York Streets series (1994-2002).Some of these works (1996)including World
Trade Center will be presented at the exhibition. These images have a strong
documentary flavor achieved by the use of specially treated materials: photos
and newspapers, which have been manipulated, crushed, drained, painted gold,
or silver, and overlaid with images.
The works of Valera & Natasha Cherkashin are included in museum collections:
The State Russian Museum; The Art Institute of Chicago; The Museum of Fine
Art Boston; The Museum of Fine Art Santa Fe; The Los Angeles County Museum of
Art; The Museum of Fine Arts Houston; The Zimmerly Art Museum; and some other
museums and private collections in the US and Europe.
Russian-American Cultural Center 55 John Street, 14th floor
Contact: Regina Khidekel, Ph.D., Director and Curator, at 212-744-5168 or
khidart@aol.com; http://www.russianamericanculture.com
This exhibition is made possible with the public funds from the New York
State Council on the Arts, a state agency, and the New York City Department
of Cultural Affairs. Special thanks to Mr. Peter T. Gemignani, Fleet Bank
Exhibition opening: Thursday, December 5th, 2002, 6 - 9 PM
Exhibition runs through December 5-24, 2002, Mon-Fri 10 AM - 3 PM
Fleet Bank,
Empire State Building, 350 Fifth Ave & 34th St. - New York