THE MOON POOL. archive

Nikolai Koshelev

March 11 — April 18, 2021
The State Tretyakov Gallery in cooperation with the Triumph Gallery

The author of the project, Nikolai Koshelev, is inspired by the aesthetics of the Silver Age, Russian symbolism, and refers to the legacy of the artists of the World of Art association.

The State Tretyakov Gallery together with the Triumph Gallery present the installation exhibition "The Moon Pool. Archive", which transforms the museum hall into a theatrical space that refers the viewer to the aesthetics of Sergei Diaghilev’s "Russian Seasons". The author of the project, Nikolai Koshelev, is inspired by the aesthetics of the Silver Age, Russian symbolism, and refers to the legacy of the artists of the World of Art association.

The project tells about a theatrical production unrealized by a certain fictional artist of the early 20th century, Alexander Zilverkhov, which was supposed to be performed as part of Sergei Diaghilev’s "Russian Seasons". This determines the multimedia nature of the exhibition, as well as a system of repetitive and rhyming symbols that refer to the style and aesthetics of the artists of the Mir Iskusstvo circle.

Set design. Beginning of Act II
2018
Oil on canvas
110 × 140 cm

The State Tretyakov Gallery together with the Triumph Gallery present the installation exhibition "The Moon Pool. Archive", which transforms the museum hall into a theatrical space that refers the viewer to the aesthetics of Sergei Diaghilev’s "Russian Seasons". The author of the project, Nikolai Koshelev, is inspired by the aesthetics of the Silver Age, Russian symbolism, and refers to the legacy of the artists of the World of Art association.

The project tells about a theatrical production unrealized by a certain fictional artist of the early 20th century, Alexander Zilverkhov, which was supposed to be performed as part of Sergei Diaghilev’s "Russian Seasons". This determines the multimedia nature of the exhibition, as well as a system of repetitive and rhyming symbols that refer to the style and aesthetics of the artists of the Mir Iskusstvo circle.

According to the "found documents", Alexander Silverkhov grew up in Germany in a family of Russian immigrants, received a philological education and was engaged in German romanticism. In 1903, he came to Russia and met the artists of the Blue Rose association. Meeting with them inspired Silverkhov to create a ballet production based on the ideas and biography of the German playwright Heinrich von Kleist. The libretto, written by the artist, tells the story of a girl who, in search of peace, goes out on a moonlit night to the shore of a pond, where she remains alone with her visions and gradually turns into one of them. Work on the production lasted until 1906 and was not completed.

Untitled
2020
Majolica
36 × 54 × 15 cm

According to the "found documents", Alexander Silverkhov grew up in Germany in a family of Russian immigrants, received a philological education and was engaged in German romanticism. In 1903, he came to Russia and met the artists of the Blue Rose association. Meeting with them inspired Silverkhov to create a ballet production based on the ideas and biography of the German playwright Heinrich von Kleist. The libretto, written by the artist, tells the story of a girl who, in search of peace, goes out on a moonlit night to the shore of a pond, where she remains alone with her visions and gradually turns into one of them. Work on the production lasted until 1906 and was not completed.

The found archive includes more than a hundred works: sketches and fragments of set design, background curtain (backdrop), ceramic casts of characters, plot sketches, the text of the libretto and other materials.

The work on the project is an attempt at aesthetic rethinking both the tasks of modern painting and the interior plastics of Russian Art Nouveau, therefore, a large place is given in the exhibition not only to painting and graphics, but also to ceramics in majolica technique and decorative items. Imagining events parallel to real history, Nikolai Koshelev suggests plunging into the space of myth, where fantasy and experiment become the main forces.

Сurator: Sofia Kovaleva
Аrchitect: Ksenia Lukyanova

Untitled
2020
Majolica
36 × 54 × 15 cm

The found archive includes more than a hundred works: sketches and fragments of set design, background curtain (backdrop), ceramic casts of characters, plot sketches, the text of the libretto and other materials.

The work on the project is an attempt at aesthetic rethinking both the tasks of modern painting and the interior plastics of Russian Art Nouveau, therefore, a large place is given in the exhibition not only to painting and graphics, but also to ceramics in majolica technique and decorative items. Imagining events parallel to real history, Nikolai Koshelev suggests plunging into the space of myth, where fantasy and experiment become the main forces.

Сurator: Sofia Kovaleva
Аrchitect: Ksenia Lukyanova