Underground 2000

Editor: This mixed-media installation, "Underground," created by Arsen Savadov in 2000, is just fascinating. It feels almost theatrical, yet also deeply unsettling. The setting and use of painted figures… it's all so strange. What do you make of it? Curator: It is unsettling, isn't it? Savadov often deals with themes of displacement and identity, particularly within the context of post-Soviet Ukraine. Considering that, where do you think the title "Underground" leads us in thinking about the piece? Editor: Well, the literal underground setting, maybe a mine, is pretty apparent. Perhaps it's a reference to hidden or suppressed histories? Curator: Exactly! The "Underground" becomes a powerful metaphor. Are we looking at the literal mining of the earth, the hidden histories, or perhaps, the excavation of the self? These stylized, almost folk-art-like religious figures become ghostly presences inhabiting this space, gesturing towards older traditions that might be at odds with a post-Soviet reality. Think about the power dynamics implicit in who gets to write history, who gets to be remembered, and how art like this can challenge those narratives. How do you see the material, the mixed media aspect, factoring into this? Editor: It definitely adds another layer. The roughness of the setting clashes with the almost reverent presentation of these figures, as if they were unearthed… or escaped. I wonder if there is an implication that these symbols or ideas no longer fit the society in which they are displayed? Curator: Precisely! That tension is key. It forces us to question the dominant narratives and consider alternative perspectives. What can art uncover that official accounts often bury? It definitely gives me much food for thought. Editor: It's really incredible to think about the historical context layered into what I originally thought was just an eerie art piece. Thanks so much!