Cheburashka in the park

Final touches...

... and casting!

Model making...

Scaled up!

I changed the proposal a bit as the sculpture will now be 2.5m high - the visitor will now be able to go through the gate! I've been working on the model a lot this last week. Below a few images to give you an idea of my progress.

About me and my proposal for Broomhill

Hello art lovers and welcome to my blog! I would like to thank the 2011 Broomhill jury for selecting my work - I am really excited to be part of this exhibition.

A little bit about me...

I am Russian artist living and working in Lewes, UK. I was born in 1977 in Moscow where I graduated with a MA from the faculty of applied arts, then completed by additional studies at the I.I. Nevinsky Etching Art Studio and Babushkinski Ceramic Studio. In 2007 I graduated from the Camberwell College of Arts London with a second MA in Drawing. My work has been exhibited in the leading museums of Moscow and St. Petersburg as well as more recently in the Saatchi Gallery London (image above: me next to my Eggs 2009). Four of my works are part of the Hermitage Museum of St. Petersburg. In 2004 I was awarded the title of best woman sculptor of Russia and in 2005 of best young sculptor of Russia. In 2009, I was commissioned by the Third Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art and in 2010, I won runner-up Best Sculpture Prize at the Battle Contemporary Fine Art Fair as well as the 3rd prize of the RK Harrison Prizes For Art Photography at the National Open Art Competition. My work has recently featured in the 2011 Open West exhibition.

www.svetlanarts.com

About my proposal for Broomhill...

Above is the sketch of my proposed sculpture for Broomhill. It represents a gate topped with a large head of Cheburashka*. Casted in resin, the sculpture intends to be 1.5 m high, 1.5m wide and 0.7 m deep. The colours are black, white and gold. Ideally the sculpture should be located in the woods.

The gate is here a reference to the Japanese traditional Torii. Commonly found at the entrance of Shito shrines, it symbolically marks the transition from the profane to the sacred.

My proposal is a reflection on our contemporary understanding of and relationship to the sacred - it might even be an absurd attempt of re-sanctification of our everyday life. In a profane society, our ersatz of the sacred are often unearthed from the lost paradise of innocent childhood.

* Cheburashka is a very famous Russian children’s character which is the main character of an animated film series from the sixties; it is the Eastern equivalent to the Japanese Pokemon or the American Mickey Mouse. Cheburashka is a small and friendly animal, unknown to science but easily recognisable by its oversized round ears. Thanks to its great popularity, it was chosen as the official mascot of the Russian Olympic Team.

I have started working at the foundry and the image below shows you the wax model of the gate. The structure of the gate imitates antlers.