Iakovos Volkov
MAN ON EARTH
June 4, 2021 – September 5, 2021
Iakovos Volkov’s practice has been rooted in Street Art and Arte Povera. Ever since 1967,when Arte Povera was established in Genova by renowned artists like Alighiero Boetti and Jannis Kounellis, this art movement has not lost its power and momentum. The aim was to lift iconographic conventions and the traditional symbolic language and to convert any simple object into art focusing especially on the poverty of the material and the poverty of the means. ‚Poor’ materials are found in everyday life and waste and can be earth, stones, plants, felt, glass splinters and such. To make revolutionary art, free of any conventions was the goal. The Arte Povera movement was seeking to expand the spheres of sensuality and to enhance the traces of nature and industry.
Furthermore there is an increasing waste disposal of substances such as, mineral oil and chemicals that are threatening human’s health. Despite the fact that 71% of the planet is covered by water, the oceans can not absorb all the waste of mankind. On the interactive map ‚Sailing Seas of Plastic’ only a few areas seem to have a low pollution load. There is an estimated amount of 247 trillion pieces of plastic, swimming in the Mediterranean sea only.
The ditched plastic bags are the foundation of Iakovos Volkov’s newest works. His maps of the Earth, Greece and Santorini Island are radiating in such an intensive blue (for the ocean) and white or striking colours (for the land mass), one might think the world is still in order. The innocent looking teddy bears in blue and pink that Iakovos Volkov has assembled to totem poles cannot alone stop the plague–the devastation has proceeded too far. Totem poles were meant to present the mystic relationship between men and a specific natural phenomenon or their surrounding environment, such as rain thunder, flood, animals, plants, mountains or waters. In some of the ‚Men on Earth’ pieces, the artist has substituted the blue color of the oceans with black as a warning to the future.
Furthermore there is an increasing waste disposal of substances such as, mineral oil and chemicals that are threatening human’s health. Despite the fact that 71% of the planet is covered by water, the oceans can not absorb all the waste of mankind. On the interactive map ‚Sailing Seas of Plastic’ only a few areas seem to have a low pollution load. There is an estimated amount of 247 trillion pieces of plastic, swimming in the Mediterranean sea only.
The ditched plastic bags are the foundation of Iakovos Volkov’s newest works. His maps of the Earth, Greece and Santorini Island are radiating in such an intensive blue (for the ocean) and white or striking colours (for the land mass), one might think the world is still in order. The innocent looking teddy bears in blue and pink that Iakovos Volkov has assembled to totem poles cannot alone stop the plague–the devastation has proceeded too far. Totem poles were meant to present the mystic relationship between men and a specific natural phenomenon or their surrounding environment, such as rain thunder, flood, animals, plants, mountains or waters. In some of the ‚Men on Earth’ pieces, the artist has substituted the blue color of the oceans with black as a warning to the future.
Exhibition
June 4 – September 5, 2021
Opening reception:
Thursday, June 3, 7 pm
curated by widmertheodoridis
Alibi Gallery
Sarri 12
GR 10553 Athens
Opening reception:
Thursday, June 3, 7 pm
curated by widmertheodoridis
Alibi Gallery
Sarri 12
GR 10553 Athens