3045 Past and Present Variations of The Feast of Venus
Having lived in Amsterdam for the past 23 years, contemporary visual artist Inga Krymskaya is celebrating her launch in the UK with an exhibition at Hay Hill Gallery. She will be exhibiting works from her latest project, 3045 Variations on The Feast of Venus, which explores all the different possibilities conceivable on one theme, using various mediums including tapestry, Plexiglas, photography and painting. The theme of love, and the positive energy that emanates from Rubens’ piece is in line with her philosophy that art should overall be uplifting, therapeutic, and universal.
With her 3045 Variations on ‘the Feast of Venus’, Inga bridges past and present – while connecting and collaborating with artists from all over the world and inviting viewers to not only experience her own interpretation but to rediscover how strongly other artists are inspired by it.
Krymskaya speaks about her recent project, her upcoming appearances at SCOPE Miami Beach 2015December 1-6 and Hay Hill Gallery December 10-16:
Your collaborative project ‘3045 Variations on the Feast of Venus’ is inspired by The Feast of Venus by Rubens. What inspired you to start this project?
I was inspired by a lecture on Rubens by Ben Street, who is an art historian, museum educator and curator. The idea that was introduced in the lecture of the remaking of Baroque era paintings fascinated me. I began to work on a particular painting by Rubens entitled “The Feast of Venus” exploring different interpretations and using different mediums. I decided that the project had so much potential, so I opened up the idea with a call to artists to share my vision, globalize the project and involve more people to participate in the remaking of this Flemish baroque painting.
What interest have you received so far, from what kind of artists?
Mostly painters and photographers. I hope in the near future artists that will participate in the project will come from different artistic disciplines. I’m curious for example, about how a performance artist would approach Rubens’ work.
The ideology of applying modern creative techniques to a classic masterpiece is something that is so exciting. I would really like some alternative entrants to the project such as music producers, perfumers or fashion designers.
Which is your favourite Variation and why?
So far I think variation number 1. Mainly because it was the first interpretation I made and it’s always magical when you conceive a project and you see it taking form and becoming reality.
Variation 1 is a collage comprised of fourteen different parts of a reworked version of The Feast of Venus. It will be exhibited at SCOPE Miami Beach 2015.
What is your favourite medium to work with and why?
I am traditionally a painter, but I have experimented more over the last years and explored other mediums to work with such as photography and videography.
I’m attracted to painting as I find it an intimate process and I like the physicality and formality of it.
What is your mission as an artist – are there any themes you are passionate about?
To create energy. Energy is something you can feel, you can experience, you can build up its tension but you cannot frame it or place it in a mathematical, logical or rational way. With my most recent project I want to involve and collaborate with as many artists as I can. Imagine how strong the exchange and power of energy gets when many people work together!
If I would be asked to make a glossary on the themes I’m passionate about that would be: Variation, Adaptation, Fragmentation, Mutation, Disappearance, Metamorphosis.
You have exhibited your works worldwide, including the US, Japan and many cities in Europe. Where do you feel most inspired?
I have a special connection with Asia due to the all-encompassing spirituality that people apply in their daily lives.
Where are you exhibiting next?
I will exhibit on the 1st of December in Scope Miami Beach 2015 (booth #H21) under the name G-77 Gallery from Kyoto, Japan. I will be showing three of my Variations #1, #5 and #11.
The next presentation of my work will be on the 10th of December at Hay Hill Gallery in London. The exhibition will be accompanied by a lecture by Ben Street, the person who inspired me to start this project.
Inga’s work has been exhibited at several art fairs and galleries across the world, including G-77 Gallery in Kyoto, VK Gallery in Amsterdam, Wall Gallery in Amsterdam, Arttitud San Francisco, Berliner Liste (Germany), SCOPE (New York, Basel), and the Antwerp EXPO. She will next be featuring Variation 1, 5 and 11 of The Feast of Venus at Scope Miami from 1st to 6th December.
