Art of Her

Seven years have passed since the last solo exhibition of Elena and Viktor Vorobyovs’ "The Artist Sleeps". Then the duo exhibited in 2015 at the Kasteev Museum of Art, and then, in 2017, went to the 57th Venice Biennale in the main part of the exhibition. The lingering 7 years of anticipation were reinforced by new global events in the world and the country: the resignation of Kazakhstan's first president, the coronavirus epidemic, the tragic events of January, the war in Ukraine, the emigration of Russians, and the condemnation of Russian colonial and post-colonial policies.

The artistic duo raise themes of meaning and understanding of the post-Soviet era in their works. They accurately focus on those meanings and objects that we overlook. That is why the new solo exhibition of Elena and Viktor Vorobyovs’ was expected. Times have changed too much, people's thinking has changed, accents have appeared, and the exact border between black and white is becoming clear.

The solo exhibition "Phantom story" includes new and well-known works of the artists, in which they continue to reflect on the theme of the post-Soviet in the Soviet. The very title of the exhibition comes from a series of photographs taken in 2013 with the same name.

«Нам постоянно пытаются сказать, что советское здесь, и мы должны вернуться. На самом деле, это конечно абсолютно какие-то фантастические представления. Все-таки мир развивается. Мы создавали работы по общей теме «постсоветское в советском». Сейчас, во времена новых конфликтов, наш проект остается актуальным», – рассказала Елена Воробьева.

"Take Kyrgyzstan as an example, all the Ilyich monuments are standing, they affect society. If someone doesn't want to remove them, they have a purpose," added Viktor Vorobyov.

In their works, the artists have depicted their family life through the TV screen turned off. This is pure photo-documentary; it is through the camera that the artists are trying to convey this post-Soviet reality. In this way, Elena and Viktor Vorobyov abandon their own subjective, trusting the reality of the photograph rather than traditional painting.

"The exhibition is about human psychology, about how these phantoms need to be seen, need to be understood. Ideology permeates us, whether you want it or not, people come back to it," shared Elena Vorobyova.

Interestingly, the exhibition runs in parallel in two spaces that are located in different parts of the city: HOUSE 36 and Aspan Gallery. The two locations present different works by the artists, and despite the fact that each of the exhibitions is independent, it is one story called "Phantom story”.

«Изначально мы планировали выставку только в Aspan Gallery, но у нас созрел проект «Эстелик», который предполагает большое пространство с высокими потолками. В Aspan Gallery мы не смогли бы разместить эту работу. Поэтому, мы попросились в ДОМ 36, но решили добавить другие работы, чтобы поддержать самостоятельную выставку», – рассказал Виктор Воробьев.

As the artists themselves say, it would be better for viewers to visit the exhibition in the HOUSE 36 space first, and then go to the Aspan Gallery.

"In HOUSE 36 we address the viewer in a broader way. At Aspan Gallery we have a more chamber work, a project about private life. From birth to death. Both exhibitions are connected with each other," said Elena Vorobyova.

Personal exhibition of Elena and Viktor Vorobyov’s "Phantom story" will last in DOM36 till December 1, 2022, in Aspan Gallery till January 22, 2023.

Address: HOUSE36 (36 Baribaeva str.), Aspan Gallery (140a/3 Al-Farabi avenue, minus 1st floor).

Working schedule: HOUSE36 (Tuesday-Sunday from 12:00 to 20:00), Aspan Gallery (Tuesday-Saturday from 11:00 to 19:00, Sunday from 12:00 to 18:00).

Admission is free.

Elena and Viktor Vorobyov’s have been working together since the 1990s. They use different techniques and genres, and the result is multi-layered and often ironic works. The artists capture ephemeral and inconspicuous details of everyday life, private characteristics, and things and phenomena that sometimes go unnoticed. Using a very light and ironic approach, the Vorobyov’s present the surrounding reality in a new way, exposing its social and cultural background.

Произведения художников хранятся в коллекциях музея Стеделейк в Амстердаме, центра Помпиду в Париже, Sharjah Art Foundation в Шардже, музея MuHKA в Антверпене, Centro per l’arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci в Прато, музея изобразительных искусств им. семьи Невзоровых в Семее, Новосибирской государственной картинной галереи, Павлодарского областного художественного музея, Государственного центра современного искусства в Москве и музея искусств им. А. Кастеева в Алматы.