Harvest

Anatoly Akue

December 27, 2023 — February 11, 2024
Triumph Gallery

The project Harvest by Anatoly Akue is based on an exploration of two astrological systems—Western astrology and the ancient Chinese Ba Zi—and a creative engagement with them.

The project Harvest by Anatoly Akue is grounded in the study and exploration of two astrological systems—Western astrology and the ancient Chinese Ba Zi. Western astrology, one of the most widespread esoteric teachings, traces its origins back to the ancient Babylonian astrological system, in particular to Tetrabiblos by Claudius Ptolemy, written in the 2nd century CE.
The dominant form today, horoscopic astrology, is based on the analysis of astrological charts that фикс the positions of celestial bodies at the moment of a specific event, such as a person’s birth. This approach is then used to determine an individual’s character and psychological traits, as well as to predict their destiny.

March I
2023
Canvas, acrylic, oil pastels
150×200 cm

The project Harvest by Anatoly Akue is grounded in the study and exploration of two astrological systems—Western astrology and the ancient Chinese Ba Zi. Western astrology, one of the most widespread esoteric teachings, traces its origins back to the ancient Babylonian astrological system, in particular to Tetrabiblos by Claudius Ptolemy, written in the 2nd century CE.
The dominant form today, horoscopic astrology, is based on the analysis of astrological charts that фикс the positions of celestial bodies at the moment of a specific event, such as a person’s birth. This approach is then used to determine an individual’s character and psychological traits, as well as to predict their destiny.

The ancient Chinese system of destiny analysis known as Ba Zi, which emerged more than three thousand years ago, is a complex method of forecasting based on the Wu Xing system central to traditional Chinese philosophy. The structure of Wu Xing includes five elements—water, fire, earth, wood, and metal—which describe the states and interrelations of all existing things and phenomena. According to Ba Zi, a person’s fate can be predicted through the two-character combinations of the sixty-year cycle assigned to the year, month, day, and hour of their birth.

The idea of sowing seeds and cultivating fruits embedded in the project’s title serves as a metaphor for how these astrological systems function and influence human life.

By exploring esoteric systems and transforming the knowledge gained into personal and artistic experience, the artist raises the question of how a contemporary individual, turning to these systems, can alter their psychological state. How relevant are they today, how do they operate, what motivations lead people to engage with them, and what practical results they ultimately achieve.

February I
2023
Canvas, acrylic, oil pastels
150 × 200 cm

The ancient Chinese system of destiny analysis known as Ba Zi, which emerged more than three thousand years ago, is a complex method of forecasting based on the Wu Xing system central to traditional Chinese philosophy. The structure of Wu Xing includes five elements—water, fire, earth, wood, and metal—which describe the states and interrelations of all existing things and phenomena. According to Ba Zi, a person’s fate can be predicted through the two-character combinations of the sixty-year cycle assigned to the year, month, day, and hour of their birth.

The idea of sowing seeds and cultivating fruits embedded in the project’s title serves as a metaphor for how these astrological systems function and influence human life.

By exploring esoteric systems and transforming the knowledge gained into personal and artistic experience, the artist raises the question of how a contemporary individual, turning to these systems, can alter their psychological state. How relevant are they today, how do they operate, what motivations lead people to engage with them, and what practical results they ultimately achieve.

In the contemporary world, it is becoming increasingly difficult for individuals to rely on various sources of information. The sheer volume of information and its influence push people to seek new systems for understanding reality. Over the past centuries, despite significant technological progress, people have very often turned to esoteric practices for guidance.
Modern quantum physics engages with subtle philosophical ideas and concepts that reveal how much we still do not know about ourselves. In attempting to study the external world, we fail to find constant, unchanging elements.

January II
2023
Canvas, acrylic
150 × 200 cm

In the contemporary world, it is becoming increasingly difficult for individuals to rely on various sources of information. The sheer volume of information and its influence push people to seek new systems for understanding reality. Over the past centuries, despite significant technological progress, people have very often turned to esoteric practices for guidance.
Modern quantum physics engages with subtle philosophical ideas and concepts that reveal how much we still do not know about ourselves. In attempting to study the external world, we fail to find constant, unchanging elements.

Recent scientific discoveries are once again turning our attention inward. In search of stability and a deeper understanding of life, we may turn to various systems of knowledge and attempt to apply them to our own lived experience.

In the course of working on the project, Anatoly Akue explored two such systems and gained practical experience that allowed him to identify both their shared foundations and their key differences, as well as to examine how they can be applied in everyday life. Having received detailed forecasts from each system, the artist spent a year documenting the events that occurred in his life, interpreting them through the lens of these esoteric teachings, and subsequently reflecting both the results and his subjective understanding of their core ideas in his artworks.

Curator: Polina Mogilina
Architect: Alexandra Kristina Portilla Izmail

November I
2023
Canvas, acrylic, oil pastels
150 × 200 cm

Recent scientific discoveries are once again turning our attention inward. In search of stability and a deeper understanding of life, we may turn to various systems of knowledge and attempt to apply them to our own lived experience.

In the course of working on the project, Anatoly Akue explored two such systems and gained practical experience that allowed him to identify both their shared foundations and their key differences, as well as to examine how they can be applied in everyday life. Having received detailed forecasts from each system, the artist spent a year documenting the events that occurred in his life, interpreting them through the lens of these esoteric teachings, and subsequently reflecting both the results and his subjective understanding of their core ideas in his artworks.

Curator: Polina Mogilina
Architect: Alexandra Kristina Portilla Izmail