Untitled 

Editor: This is an untitled resin sculpture by Ilya Isupov. It depicts a rather ordinary, corpulent man, and I immediately feel unsettled by the banality of the scene. What's your take on this piece? Curator: That unsettling feeling is a key to unlocking its potential. Notice how the artist subverts traditional heroic sculpture by depicting this figure in a state of undress and apparent vulnerability. This choice is inherently political, asking us to confront our own biases around body image, class, and power. Editor: It does challenge traditional ideals, I guess I had them in mind. What about his tattoos and the strange object he's holding? Curator: The tattoos, reminiscent of prison iconography, along with the strange, almost grotesque, object – it looks a bit like a primate’s head– introduce layers of complex narrative. It begs the questions: who is he? And what are his connections with crime and oppression, or animality? Consider also the history of tattooing as a marker of identity and resistance in various subcultures, alongside it use for social control within oppressive institutions. This artwork isn’t merely presenting an image, but inviting you to unpack intersecting themes of marginalization, masculinity, and perhaps even a dark humour about our place in the food chain. What statement might the artist be making by juxtaposing the abjectness of the figure against common signifiers of power? Editor: It's a bit clearer now. I think that contrasting common conceptions of heroism and physical expectation against markers of criminality is provocative. Thank you for sharing. Curator: Indeed. By unsettling those established orders, this sculpture prompts valuable conversations about who we choose to valorize, and who we choose to disregard, within our societies.