Terra incognita 

Konstantin Korobov’s painting presents us with a skeletal figure, elegantly adorned, holding an hourglass against a backdrop of stars. The hourglass, an ancient symbol, here embodies the relentless and visible passage of time, leading to the inevitable end. The ‘triumph of death’ was a frequent subject in medieval and Renaissance art, meant to remind us of our mortality. Think of the danse macabre: death leading all social classes to the grave. Here, Korobov evokes Johannes Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring" replacing the girl's head with a skull to create a modern, rather unsettling memento mori. This symbol has undergone countless transformations, yet its essence remains consistent, reminding us of life's fleeting nature. It persists in our collective memory, resurfacing to provoke reflection on our existence. In a way, the artist taps into our deepest subconscious fears and uses powerful symbols that transcend time and culture.