This is not an iconostasis. This is not a collection of pet portraits. This is not even an exhibition of paintings.
This is not an exhibition of the works of artist Igor Shulman but rather the state of the soul of man Igor Shulman.
By raising the theme of martyrdom and using the stylistics of icon painting, the author painfully reflects on life. One could pretend that the exhibition is dedicated to the theme of animals being killed by humans, but it is much more interesting to see in “New Saints” the confusion of a successful artist in the face of Death.
According to ancient Church teachings, martyr’s blood washes away all sins, and in the history of the Church there are known cases where unbaptized people who professed faith in Christ and then suffered torture were honored in the Church as holy martyrs. It was said about them that they were baptized with their blood.
But animals do not sin. They have nothing to wash away with their blood. So why do we consider them martyrs? Because animals are absolute victims. Or victims in the absolute sense.
Without any justifications, other viewpoints, fact-checking, and lovers of evaluating crimes with phrases like “Not everything is so straightforward.” At Igor Andrianov’s exhibition “New Saints,” everything is absolutely straightforward.
We have been witnessing death live since February 2022. And we have become accustomed to it despite the horror of what is happening. Reflection on murder, violence, and death logically leads the artist to images of the executioner and the victim.
Today at this exhibition we see another answer – the artist is unequivocally on the side of the victim.
For us, the viewers of this exhibition, it does not matter at all whether Igor Shulman is a vegan or vegetarian, whether he eats pork or releases Christmas carp back into the Vltava River. We see the drama and tragedy of an artist who experiences profound pain from any violence. And the ability to feel another’s pain distinguishes the artist from the viewer.
Exhibition curator
Director of the festival of contemporary
culture and human rights Kulturus.
Exhibition of the artist Igor Shulman – New Saints
We are responsible for those we have tamed.
You know who.
New Saints.
When I started creating this exhibition, I had no idea how much information I would have to process.
I delved deep into the history of iconography and realized that this is not my method.
Then I dived into statistics and got stressed out.
I touched upon our loved ones, our friends, our pets. I have lived on this earth for a long time and I am not naive enough to think that pets were created solely for the joy of companionship. No, we (humans) simply eat them.
I am not calling anyone to anything with this exhibition. This exhibition is not about what anyone should eat. This exhibition is about mercy.
I am aggressively trying to draw your attention to this issue. This is my manifesto.
Why did I name my exhibition this way? For me, all these animals are holy for one simple reason.
They have not harmed anyone.
And therefore they have only done good. Isn’t that enough? How many people do you know who meet these criteria?
Moreover, I would call them holy martyrs considering their life circumstances.
I am not interested in the offended feelings of believers and non-believers. The least I thought about was in what form these paintings were made.
The fact that they sometimes resemble icons does not make them so.
You will find on these paintings not only horrifying statistics but also learn what animals think of you. You may even be able to read their monologues in their native language if you can, of course.
This exhibition is not about religion or faith. This exhibition is about humanism.
Respectfully, Igor Shulman
Výstava umělce Igora Šulmana – Noví svatí
Jsme odpovědní za ty, které jsme zkrotili.
Sami víte, kdo.
Noví svatí.
Když jsem začal vytvářet tuto výstavu, ani jsem si nedokázal představit, kolik informací budu muset zpracovat.
Ponořil jsem se hluboko do historie ikonografie a uvědomil si, že to není má metoda.
Pak jsem se ponořil do statistik a dostal jsem stres.
Dotkl jsem se našich blízkých, našich přátel, domácích zvířat. Dlouho žiji na této zemi a nejsem tak naivní, abych si myslel, že domácí zvířata byla stvořena pouze pro radost ze setkání. Ne, my (lidé) je prostě žereme.
Tuto výstavu nikomu k ničemu nenabádám. Tato výstava není o tom, čím se kdo živí. Tato výstava je o milosrdenství.
Agressivně se snažím přitáhnout vaši pozornost k tomuto problému. To je můj manifest.
Proč jsem svou výstavu tak nazval? Pro mě jsou všechna tato zvířata svatá pouze z jednoho prostého důvodu.
Nikomu neublížila.
A tudíž konala pouze dobro. Není toho málo? Kolik znáte lidí, kteří splňují tato kritéria?
Mimochodem, nazval bych je svatými mučedníky, vzhledem k jejich životním okolnostem.
Nezajímají mě urážlivé city věřících a nevěřících. Nejmenší zájem jsem měl o to, v jaké formě byly tyto obrazy vytvořeny.
To, že místy vypadají jako ikony, je nedělá takovými.
Na těchto obrazech najdete nejen hrůzostrašnou statistiku, ale také se dozvíte, co si o vás zvířata myslí. Dokonce si budete moci přečíst jejich monology v jejich rodném jazyce, pokud to samozřejmě dokážete.
Tato výstava není o náboženství nebo víře. Tato výstava je o humanismu.
S úctou, Igor Šulman
Выставка: Новые Святые
Мы в ответе за тех, кого приручили.
Сами знаете кто.
Новые святые.
Когда я приступил к созданию этой выставки я и не представлял себе, какое количество информации мне придется переварить.
Я забрался глубоко в историю иконографии, что понял- это не мой метод.
Тогда я забрался в статистику и получил стресс.
Я прикоснулся к нашим близким, к нашим друзьм, к домашним животным. Я долго живу на этой земле и не на столько наивен, чтобы думать ,
что домашние животные созданы только для радости общения. Нет, мы (люди) их тупо жрем.
Я никого ни к чему не призываю этой выставкой. эта выставка не про то, кому чем питаться. Эта выставка про милосердие.
Я агрессивно пытаюсь привлечь ваше внимание к этой проблеме. Это мой манифест.
Почему я так назвал свою выставку? Для меня все эти животные святы только по одной простой причине.Они никому не причинили зла.
А значит творили только добро. Разве этого мало? Много вы знаете людей, которые соответствуют этим критериям?
Мало того, я бы назвал их святыми великомученниками. Учитывая их жизненные обстоятельства.
Мне не интересны оскорбленные чуства верующих и неверующих. Меньше всего я думал о том в какой форме состоялись эти картины.
То что они местами похожи на иконы не делает их таковыми.
Вы найдете на этих картинах не только ужасающую статистику, вы узнаете что животные думают о вас. Вы даже сможете прочесть их монологи на их родном языке.
если сможете конечно.
Эта выставка не про религию или веру. Эта выставка про гуманизм.
Exibition Hall “Fudgy” address:
Chlumova 260/23, 130 00 Praha 3-Žižkov
16.11.2024 07:00pm
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