Konstantin Zvezdochetov (1958, Moscow) is one of the most recognizable artists in contemporary Russian art. He used to be one of the activists of APTART movement in the eighties. He was the «New Wave» leader implanting the vivacious happy-go-lucky street culture, rock-n-roll drive and the rowdy aesthetics of true poetry into «rigid» body of Moscow Conceptualism. Zvezdochetov was an active member of the «Mukhomor» («Amanita») group, which was one of the Russia's brightest underground art movements in the eighties, and the «playing coach» in the «World Champions» group of the ninties. He's almost the only member of either group who didn't give up art practice even in the most difficult times for contemporary art.
Terrorists, 2003, Private Collection, Moscow
Refugees, 2002, Private Collection, Moscow
Our People Abroad, 2003, Private Collection, Moscow
Viola and Moralists, 2004, Private Collection, Moscow
Viola at the Ball, 2004, Private Collection, Moscow
Viola on the Table, 2004, Private Collection, Moscow
Mukhomor’s (Sven Gundlakh, Konstantin Zvezdochetov, Alexey Kamensky, Vladimir Mironenko, Sergey Mironenko) innovation used to lay in the fact that they dealt with the language of Soviet mass culture. They drove to farce the familiar to any Soviet citizen elements of daily life. This shocked the underground artists of previous generations, they were too irreconcilable to the official authorities to accept such overtures to the Soviet reality. To some extent Mukhomor takes its origins in the Sots Art, the artistic phenomenon of the seventies (the brightest representatives - Vitaly Komar and Alex Melamid), parodying the language of Soviet officialdom - posters, slogans and ads.
Semenovs, 1991, Private Collection, Moscow
Boyarynya Morozova, 2005, Private Collection, Moscow
Two Knights, 2005, Private Collection, Moscow
The Battle of Good and Excellent, 2002, Private Collection, Moscow
Blue Cities, 2002, Private Collection, Moscow
Konstantin Zvezdochetov is the most cheerful classic of Moscow contemporary art. The irony and the grotesque, brilliant aphorism of his works are very popular among viewers. Each of his show becomes an event in the Moscow art scene. He masterfully juggles images of national mythology, the characters of world history of art, ideological cliches, elements of reality. His improvisation on the same topic hits gay fantasmogories that doesn’t interfere to Zvezdotchetov to be a smart, tough and analysts both of the collective unconscious and of the history of art and historical concepts. Viola (sweet girl from the label of eponymous cheese), Uncle Ben's Uncle (Heroic gravy boat), Joseph Beuys, Chapaev and Anka, Cicciolina and evil invaders become his characters. As an experienced puppeteer he shuffles his characters and puts them in context of the mythological field. He owns a beautiful practices of different eras: from ancient Russian icon painting, lubok, oriental ornamentation to creativity Kukryniksy and the classics of Soviet art.
Elena Selina
art historian, the director of XL Gallery
Normal Civilization Exhibition, 2009, XL Gallery, Moscow
The mind is getting changed, and the spirit never does. And health is getting changed, and the character does... But in general, I’ve got a relatively successful career. I’ve said relatively because there’re no state awards... Actually nothing is... But I have the authority among some people...
Konstantin Zvezdochetov
Official bio of Konstantin Zvezdochetov |
