Sergey Khorikov. Artist's Statement
The project "Marble Metaphysics " is highly educational in nature and aims to attract a wider audience to reflect on the destiny of Man and mankind on the path of evolution, the necessity of creating a new system of human values taking into account the achievements and discoveries of science, to strengthen individual self-esteem and responsibility to the future of humankind, transforming the viewer into a participant in the creative process of finding harmony between tradition and modernity. The process of dissolution, erosion, erasing clear yardsticks, benchmarks and traditional values has been the distinctive feature hallmark of our time and being in the midst of this process of oblivion, a thinking person aims to determine what valuable, vital ideas he'll take on a trip to a yet undiscovered continent of a new, upcoming era.
The author of the project finds it important to remind himself and potential viewers of the philosophical ideas on which European civilization arose and developed, and to try to give these ideas a modern sound through imagery, combining meaning and image into a single whole. The sculptor invites the viewer to comprehend the choice of key ideas that meet the challenges of evolution and determine the meaning of human existence. Ideas, without which humanity cannot do in the future.
European traditional art has its roots in the era of the formation of modern humans and its main feature was and is an explanatory function, aiming at the human nature and Man’s place in the world as the subject of its research.
The explanatory tradition of European art correlates with modernity, aimed at the complication of forms, through the statement of the artist, the clarity of which should correspond to the level of knowledge consumed by the artist. In his statement about modernity, the artist ideally achieves a balance between the measure of knowledge consumed from society and the measure of return to it. This balance harmonizes the mental and social space, allowing humanity to move into a better future, ensuring its sustainable development.
Myths of the peoples of the world, ideas and ideals of ancient civilization, as well as recent scientific discoveries in the field of anthropology and archaeology-the source of inspiration of the author, projecting ideas, key concepts of civilization, images of mythological heroes in our time in an attempt to show the connection of times, permeated by an inseparable thread of the evolutionary process of mankind.
The project "Marble Metaphysics" started in 2010 with the personal exhibition of Sergey Khorikov "On the Quest for the Truth. Back to the Roots" in the gallery "New Place Art Gallery", the Netherlands. The curator of the project is the gallery "New Place Art Gallery". During the five years (2010 - 2015) art lovers had the opportunity to enjoy the permanent exhibition of sculptures by Sergey Khorikov “Marble Metaphysics. A Grape Bone" in the gallery" New Place Art Gallery", the Netherlands and the personal exhibitions of the sculptor "Back to the Roots", "Ancient Greece", "Delphi", "Apples of Immortality", presented to the public in Russia, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Monaco, the Netherlands, Switzerland.
In 2015-2016 the project "Marble Metaphysics" proceeded in a series of works dedicated to the remarkable artist of the Northern Renaissance Hieronymus Bosch, whose 500th anniversary of the death was celebrated by the world cultural community in 2016. The gallery "New Place Art Gallery", the curator of the international project of the same name, presented a personal exhibition of the sculptor "Hieronymus Bosch. 500 Years Later" at the Art & Antiques Fair'-Hertogenbosch-2015 in the Netherlands, at the Biennale Classic Event-2015 in Belgium, at the Moscow International Festival of art "Traditions and Сontemporaneity" at the Manege in Moscow, Russia, in 2016.
Why marble?
Stone accompanies Man throughout his history, from the manufacture of the first flint tools and ending with persistent attempts to synthesize the Philosopher's stone. 99% of the entire history of mankind falls on the era of undivided domination of the stone and the first civilizations that formed the key concept of the Creator, come from that era. We are fortunate to live in an era when Science reigns supreme. The search and selection of the perfect stone and the nature of civilization are interrelated. Thus, the creators of Hellas chose for their cities and works of art shining marble, stone joyful and friendly, fully betraying the freedom-loving spirit of Ancient Greece which laid the foundations of the European civilization.
"The like is known by the like," comes from Hellas. Therefore, the deeply personal art of free sculpting in marble, where the material is a partner with its individual character and natural significance, allows the author to touch the heritage of Ancient Greece and try through the images created to reveal the messages addressed to us, the messages which absorbed the wisdom of many generations.
What's the Mystery?
The generosity of the Hellenic nature is best manifested in the ability to share knowledge about the world and above all about the host of intelligent beings who inhabited the ancient world. The tribes of gods and titans with their chimerical descendants, the tribe of men and Titanic peoples, and, most significantly, the tribe of heroes aimed at the quest for the truth – all are manifestations of human nature. It is the heroes and their exploits that are the driving force of the humanistic civilization of self-knowledge.
Centuries have passed, but many of the feats are still waiting for their heroes, as well as the main feat-the solution of the mystery of the Theban Sphinx. The ill-fated Oedipus did not solve, but only clarified the riddle and now it sounds like this: "What is a human?”