a—s—t—r—a open vol.4
23.01 – 02.03.2024
CCI Winzavod, 4th Syromyatnichesky Lane, 1/8, page 9, entrance 22
On January 23, the fourth edition of the annual project a—s—t—r—a OPEN - a series of group exhibitions (winter and summer) of artists, during which the gallery space becomes a place of institutional debut, testing of new ideas and a platform for artistic dialog - will be opened.
Within the framework of this initiative a—s—t—r—a gallery continues the main line of its activity - discovery of new names, experimentation and testing of hypotheses. The gallery does not set any formal restrictions, which makes it possible to gather interesting combinations of participants and present both completely unknown names and show works by established authors.
A fragment of Igor Ponosov's work "Fence Cartography" was chosen for the poster: a collective image of a typical PO-2 fence, the individual elements of which were shot in different cities. The likeness of a map of the country in the format of a single tile, which is assembled gradually, fragment by fragment, in space is combined into a single portrait. And so a—s—t—r—a open vol.4 is a project that gathers a multitude of voices, separate independent elements, into a single image - a cross-section of the new, young, relevant. From issue to issue of a—s—t—r—a open the gallery changes, forming its own new layer.
As part of a—s—t—r—a vol.4, the gallery invited external curators - the newnow team - to work together, in collaboration with whom a—s—t—r—a gallery added a different lens, changed the angle of view a bit and brought different facets into a single structure.
There were 764 applications for the open call announced in November. Since one of the objectives of a—s—t—r—a OPEN is to show in practice that it makes sense to send out portfolios and improve the artist statement, a—s—t—r—a gallery is trying to invite as many participants as possible, limiting the space.
At a—s—t—r—a open vol.4 will present 22 artists: Olga Makhno, Polina Savina, Arina Frank, Daria Goncharova, Evgeniya Bolyukh, Alexei Nepetrovich, Egor Voskresensky, Ivan Lebedev, Tatiana Elizarova, Maria Stadnik, Margarita Gushchenets, Mikhail Kropin, Anton Yakovlev, Svetlana Kononova, Anastasia Kulikova, Igor Ponosov, Alexei Gromov, Rinat Mustafin, Alexandra Demidova, Konstantin Chirkov, Anastasia Charugina, Viktor Piperov.
Also within the framework of the STATEMENT program (a cycle of solo exhibitions in the format of manifesto + one work), Polina Savina's project with the manifesto "Life and Life" will be shown.
It is important for me to create opportunities within my projects. a—s—t—r—a open is being held for the fourth time and clearly demonstrates that with meaningful work on one's career, respect for one's talent and hard work, one can move step by step towards one's goal.
Over the five years of the gallery's operation and the thousands of submissions that I always personally review, I can see how the general level of artists' self-presentation is growing, how their statements are becoming more mature and bold, and how there are more original artists who do not follow fashion but try to express their ideas in their own language. It's incredibly inspiring. I'm glad that the gallery gives artists a chance to make their first appearance on the art market, their first sales and in some cases the start of a career - isn't that what a gallery is all about?
I thank the artists for their interest in a—s—t—r—a - it was a pleasant shock to me and the whole team when we received 830 applications for a—s—t—r—a open vol.3 in the summer and thought it was a fluke. This open call received 764 submissions and it makes me think about changing, expanding the format and introducing new options. I hope to tell you more about it soon.
— Alina Kryukova, founder of a—s—t—r—a gallery
We truly believe in the power of collaborations and collaborations. They broaden your perspective and loosen your psyche. But co-curatorship and inclusion in an outside project is a task with an asterisk, and we love that. a—s—t—r—a open is a project-research, a project-experiment, invented by the gallery to find new things for itself and its audience, to form a dialog with new participants, to find topics that are interesting to talk about. But the experiment continues in building its own view of the pool of artists who responded to the open call - that's where we come in.
This is the fourth edition of a—s—t—r—a open, and it is clear that interest among young artists is growing. Having joined the final stage of the selection process, we had to put together an exhibition of 150 participants. It was a fascinating experience - having different visual and semantic preferences, to find a topic of conversation that is not set. Unusual, but scarily interesting. The search for rhymes, intersections, coincidences and oppositions is a multifaceted construct that can transform and change. And the a—s—t—r—a × newnow collaboration promises to be interesting in the future.
— team newnow
Voskresensky Egor
The author works with the artistic heritage of the past, occasionally borrowing some artistic techniques and, afterwards, transforming them into something closer to himself. The author is also often inspired by the thinking of neural networks, sometimes completely unpredictable.
Born in 1997 in St. Petersburg, where he currently lives and works.
Graduated from St. Petersburg Repin Academy of Arts, Faculty of Theory and History of Art (2022).
The author interacts with the artistic heritage of the past, occasionally borrowing some artistic techniques, and then transforming them into something closer to him. Egor is often inspired by the thinking of neural networks, sometimes completely unpredictable. Each work of the artist is multi-layered. It begins with a tonal substrate created using various pigments, solvents and inks, after which traditional materials such as watercolor, pastels and others are added.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
- 2019 — (Non)Perfect Forms, FossArt Gallery, St. Petersburg
- 2019 — Reflections on Form, GB Gallery, St. Petersburg
GROUP PROJECTS:
- 2025 — Oberton Graphics Fair, a—s—t—r—a Gallery, Moscow
- 2024 — Blazar, a—s—t—r—a gallery, Moscow
- 2024 — St. Petersburg Art Fair “1703”, a—s—t—r—a gallery, Manezh, St. Petersburg
- 2024 — KONTUR Graphics Fair, a—s—t—r—a gallery, Nizhny Novgorod
- 2024 — a—s—t—r—a open.vol. 4, a—s—t—r—a gallery, Winzavod, Moscow
“I call my work interdisciplinary research. Being both an artist and an art historian, I play several roles at once. This allows me to occupy a kind of middle ground between a philosopher and a creator of the material. Since childhood I have been attracted and mesmerized by the art of the past, including Christian art. It is in biblical motifs that I have always felt some special aesthetics, energy that is very close to me. I have always been drawn to research. And my own art for me is always research, discovery, it is always global reflections on culture, philosophy, life as such. Inspired by the art of the past, I have created a special visual language. It is multifaceted, it is unique. There are many rules within it, there are certain constructions, schemes. However, I am the only one who knows about their existence. The viewer, perceiving, “listening” to my language, always finds his own meanings, translations, “transcriptions”. Creating a full-fledged universe within my own work has always been and remains a very special task for me. The most important goal for me is to mystify and mythologize the content of my pictorial universe. For me, every work, every graphic sheet is always a portal to another world, it is always a genuine artifact. If a work can be perceived as an artifact, then it is a good work. And I strive for my work to be good.”
Egor Voskresensky
St. Petersburg Art Fair “1703”, a—s—t—r—a gallery, Manezh, St. Petersburg
ABOUT THE ANTIQUITAS PROJECT:
“The ANTIQUITAS project is not a reconstruction, but a reflection. Instead of a dry reproduction of canons, I offer the viewer a game with deceptions and allusions. My project is a time machine that works both ways. I dive into the depths of the past to return with trophies marked with the seal of Chronos. These “artifacts” are not so much evidence of an era as they are symbolic distortions, visual paradoxes. “Pompeian” frescoes come to life in graphics on paper, marble turns out to be bread, bas-reliefs appear on aged wood. Using a variety of mediums, I create the illusion of authenticity while emphasizing the fragility and changeability of memory. It is important for me not just to quote antiquity, but to create an antiquity of my own, an authorial antiquity, where time is not a linear process, but a powerful force that deforms, rethinks and inspires. My project is about how the past shapes the present and how we, in turn, rewrite history. It is a reflection on the nature of time, its ability to simultaneously destroy and create, to blur the boundaries between the authentic and the imaginary. I am creating my own universe in which the past is not a frozen monument, but a living, pulsating organism subject to constant transformation. Time... Time charred. Time distorts. Time disfigures. Time confuses. Time rethinks. Time puts things in their proper place. Time inspires.”
Egor Voskresensky
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:
- Artguide - Year three: the results of the art fair 1703
- Forbes - Results of St. Petersburg Art Fair “1703”
- BURO - Social Art, Dreams and Mountains: Where to Go and What to See in Museums in February
- Art Flash - Group project a-s-t-r-a OPEN vol.4. A Fresh Look at Contemporary Art
- INTERIOR+DESIGN - New names in the fourth edition of the Open project at a-s-t-r-a gallery.
- NOW - What to do this weekend: January 27-28
- MOSCOW24 - Project a-s-t-r-a OPEN vol.4 started at Winzavod
- BURO - A-s-t-r-a OPEN vol.4 group project opened at Winzavod
- Playbill - a-s-t-r-a open vol.4
Works
Voskresenskiy Egor
ES SE Н ОМ О from "Almost Biblical" series, 2026
Рэди-мейд, советский измерительный прибор, стрелы, лентикулярная печать, земля, смешанная техника
105 х 17 х 20 см
Voskresenskiy Egor
ES SE Н ОМ О from "Almost Biblical" series, 2026
Рэди-мейд, советский измерительный прибор, лентикулярная печать, коллаж, смешанная техника
14 х 20 х 10 см
Voskresenskiy Egor
ES SE Н ОМ О from "Almost Biblical" series, 2026
Рэди-мейд, советский измерительный прибор, стрелы, лентикулярная печать, бумага, смешанная техника
82 х 28 х 30 см
Voskresenskiy Egor
ES SE Н ОМ О from "Almost Biblical" series, 2026
Рэди-мейд, советский измерительный прибор, лентикулярная печать, коллаж, смешанная техника
11 х 16,5 х 7 см
Mustafin Rinat
Rinat Mustafin was born in Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk Region, in 1991. He received a higher education in Moscow as an architect. Since 2011 is engaged in artistic practices in the field of modern art, combining with with projects in the field of curatorship, scenography, architecture and design. In 2020, together with the team of the creative association WIP, he opened an experimental gallery, where he took the position of chief curator.
His works are a part of the collections of the Nakovalnya Gallery Foundation, the private collection of artist Aidan Salakhova.
Rinat Mustafin was born in Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk Region, in 1991.
In Moscow he received a higher education in the specialty of Architect. Since 2011 is engaged in artistic practices in the field of modern art, combining with with projects in the field of curatorship, scenography, architecture and design. In 2020, together with the team of the creative association WIP, he opened an experimental gallery, where he took the position of chief curator.
His works are a part of the collections of the Nakovalnya Gallery Foundation, the private collection of artist Aidan Salakhova.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
- 2024 — Entropie des menages, L galerie Paris, Париж
- 2023 — "Territory", Cube Gallery, Moscow
- 2022 — "Zenith", Anvil Gallery, Moscow
- 2022 — Performance "Shell", Mutabor club, Moscow
- 2022 — Performance "Shell", WIP Gallery, Moscow
- 2021 — "Forma", Kommunalka Gallery, Moscow
- 2021 — Vdeo art installation "Rain", WIP gallery, Moscow.
- 2021 — Abstract Meanings in Visual Forms, WIP Gallery, Moscow
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
- 2024 — Fair |catalog| December, a—s—t—r—a gallery, Moscow, Russia
- 2024 — Fair blazar, a—s—t—r—a gallery, Moscow, Russia
- 2024 — Shimmering, Art&Brut, Moscow
- 2024 — a—s—t—r—a open.vol. 4, a—s—t—r—a gallery, CSI Winzavod, Moscow
- 2023 — "Loading", Art Kvartal, Erevan
- 2023 — "Rinat & Segotchka", Object Gallery, Tbilisi
- 2019 — "Good Weather", Užupio Meno Incubatorius, Vilnius
- 2016 — "Alternative Theories of Evolution", Dravidian Museum, Moscow
"I believe in perfect form, colour and composition. The silent power of visual art leaves me in awe, and the emergence of ever new media and tools makes me mesmerised by the vividness of the visual world. In my works I explore: the relationship between new and old technologies, in which lies the beauty of human thought, new signs and symbols that replace the old without changing their nature, themes of humanism and anti-humanism. Based on the experience, principles and discoveries of modernists and postmodernists of the 20th century, I try to use new approaches and develop original techniques. I do not see myself outside the context of my time. I am in love with the era I'm living in."
Rinat Mustafin
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:
- Playbill - Rinat Mustafin. Zenith
- Cube - Rinat Mustafin's solo exhibition “Territory”, 159F Gallerie
- Anvil - “Zenit” - Rinat Mustafin's solo exhibition
- Interior + Design - Rinat Mustafin's exhibition at Anvil Gallery
- ArtTube - Rinat Mustafin “Zenith”
- ARTvoda - Rinat Mustafin
- Raan - Rinat Mustafin
- Design District DAA - Exhibition “How long ago, dear friend?” in Abramova Gallery
- Gallery on Kashirka - Questions of Art
- Modern Megapolis - Neuroel desires and digital kokoshnik for Kristina Asmus
Works
Lebedev Ivan
Born in 1990 in St. Petersburg.
Russian artist, teacher of drawing and silkscreening printing at the Ilya Repin Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg. Creates his works in printing techniques such as lithography and silkscreen. Along with large format works and contemporary materials.
Born in 1990 in St. Petersburg.
Russian artist, teacher of drawing and silkscreening printing at the Ilya Repin Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg. Creates his works in printing techniques such as lithography and silkscreen. Along with large format works and contemporary materials.
The artist dedicates his work to the human body in all its manifestations and forms. And if there is a body, there is also a soul, thought, consciousness and subconsciousness, about which one can endlessly talk and think. His works embody the complexity of the human soul, its metamorphosis and interaction with the surrounding space, as well as its boundless loneliness. Curved, tense bodies are often contrasted and connected to absolute all-consuming darkness, which vividly contrasts with the whiteness of the background.
EDUCATION:
- 2007 - 2012 — Nizhny Novgorod Art School (artist - painter)
- 2012 - 2018 — St. Petersburg Ilya Repin Academy of Arts (graphic artist)
- 2018 - 2023 — Assistantship at the St. Petersburg Ilya Repin Academy of Arts
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
- 2024 — Blazar, a—s—t—r—a gallery, Moscow
- 2024 — St. Petersburg Art Fair “1703”, a—s—t—r—a gallery, Manezh, St. Petersburg
- 2024 — KONTUR Graphics Fair, a—s—t—r—a gallery, Nizhny Novgorod
- 2024 — a—s—t—r—a open.vol. 4, a—s—t—r—a gallery, CSI Winzavod - Moscow
- 2019 — Laureate of the competition and participant of the exhibition "Nature Class", Museum and Exhibition Center "St. Petersburg Artist", St. Petersburg
- 2018 — International exhibition "Russia Italy", Rome, Italy
- 2018 — International exhibition "Russia Italy. Raphael Hall of the Repin Museum of the Academy of Arts, St. Petersburg, Russia
- 2018 — International exhibition "Overcoming", Manezh, St. Petersburg
- 2016 — Laureate of the Internet contest "Igor Minakov Prize" "Love Will Save the World" in the nomination "Graphics"
- 2015 - 2016 — International exhibition IV GABALA International Art Exhibition "SPORTS! BEAUTY! LIFE!", Gabala, Azerbaijan
- 2015 — Exhibition "St. Petersburg in the Space of World Culture", Exhibition Hall of the Union of Artists, St. Petersburg, Russia
- 2015 — Laureate of the IX exhibition "Youth of St. Petersburg" in the nomination "Graphics", St. Petersburg
- 2015 — Exhibition "Essay on the Body" as part of the 25th Festival of Documentary Films "Message to Man", Open Film Studio "Lendok", St. Petersburg
- 2015 — International exhibition "THE SENSE OF THE BODY", First International Festival of Schools of Art and Design, Italy
Exhibition a—s—t—r—a open.vol. 4, a—s—t—r—a gallery, CSI Winzavod, Moscow
Works
