Vesuvio 3000 2017

Curator: Arsen Savadov’s “Vesuvio 3000” from 2017 presents us with a riot of forms and vibrant color. What strikes you immediately about this mixed-media painting? Editor: Overwhelming! There’s an intensity—a cacophony even. The orange and brown palette feels apocalyptic, while these hovering figures—bugs, birds, babies—are uncanny in their placement. Curator: Indeed. Note the arrangement. Savadov uses the sky as a plane for meticulously rendered birds, cherubs, and insects. See how they create compositional tension—these diverse elements forming an almost allegorical panorama. The lack of clear spatial relations makes this an intricate formal exercise. Editor: An allegory of what, though? Considering Savadov's Ukranian background, and this chaotic explosion of forms, the title resonates with ecological disaster, maybe even societal collapse. The child riding a peacock…it’s a bizarre power dynamic that hints at disrupted futures. Curator: An interesting perspective, focusing on socio-political themes. One might also analyze the visual relationships between figures and the deployment of symbolism to reveal structural meaning—a cage for instance, floating against the potential of flight, or flight denied. Editor: And consider *whose* freedom is at stake. Who gets to fly, and who remains caged? Aren't the cherubic figures indicative of historical and contemporary exploitation of children and their future being put at risk? It's about power, who has it, and how it's exerted in such an ecologic situation. Curator: These are very distinct, though not mutually exclusive interpretations, don’t you think? Through visual analysis and historical insight, we begin to peel away layers of meaning, thus revealing structure and providing broader significance of the work. Editor: Exactly, situating it within larger discourses about climate change and social inequity opens new perspectives and possibilities when interpreting an artist’s work. "Vesuvio 3000" invites this kind of investigation, provoking critical discussion.