In space and time with Peter Antip
"Heaven for those who have wings"
(Alta alatis patent) lat.
The history of mankind has amazing examples when one person is a sower of something special, the fruits of which influence the worldview of others. Such iconic figures include painter, sculptor, philosopher, publicist, Honored Artist of Ukraine Petro Antip. And the conversation will take place in the context of his art project "Modern Archaic" presented in the Ukrainian House. On 2,500 meters of exhibition space on 3 floors there are 50 works of monumental sculpture, 300 drawings and sketches, 60 paintings by a representative of the "new wave" in the fine arts. Some art platforms are supplemented by architectural projects, sketches, theses, which reveal the inner state of the creator of original artistic images. Being in this cycle, the viewer becomes a participant in the combination of creative thought with the subconscious of the artist in which something new, original, progressive is born.
The cultural and artistic event has a wide resonance among the creative intelligentsia of Kyiv. Despite the quarantine, there is a lively discussion of the presented works in the online format. Or maybe it's a sign that we are waiting for the publication of a book called "The Great Tales of the Little Boy", the author of which claims that "the falcon will not be happy without a clear sky." That's dispersing the clouds that covered modern society, restless P. Antip.
I managed to communicate with art critic Halyna Rubanova, who is well acquainted with the work of Peter Antip before the occupation of Horlivka, where the artist opened an architectural office and had a successful business. "Peter is an innovator in the broadest sense of the word. Versatile deep creative activity reveals his original artistic facets, which are presented at the exhibition, ”Rubanova shared her thoughts.
Indeed, we see a representative of the "new wave" in the fine arts, the creator of original images filled with the philosophy of creative thinking, the author of the instructive statement "It's easy to be Ukrainian in Lviv." He easily operates with ancient civilizations, ancient myths, folk culture, immersed in the history of the Ukrainian people, full of secrets and at the same time soaked in the life-giving energy of the steppe landscape.
Involuntarily, I looked into the artistic past of P. Antip, who was born in Horlivka in 1959, first received his art education in Penza, where he successfully studied at the Art School in the sculpture department of the workshop of teachers V. Tsoi and O. Bem.
Antip began his independent creative path in his hometown, where in 1989 he opened the gallery "East Art". Impressive scale of his creative projects, including three international symposia on sculpture, participation in international exhibitions, a number of personal since 1995 in France, Germany and Ukraine. Three films have been made about the artist's work, he is represented by such publications as the Encyclopedia of Modern Ukraine, History of Ukrainian Art, a number of thorough catalogs.
"Modern archaism" is a bridge between the present and the historical past of mankind. The artist pays attention to the main character - a man. The images of the goddesses of the steppe impress with their originality and expressiveness. The author seeks to show a wide range of human images original and expressive, which create a holistic artistic phenomenon. The number of raised topics impresses with the depth of creative design and a bright stream of artistic expression.
"For me, this is an example of how to work, regardless of the circumstances. I remember his exhibition in the Taras Shevchenko Museum, when the artist impressed us with his monumental creative expression. And here is a large-scale presentation of new creative thinking. Drawings, sketches, architectural projects, sculptural images in their rigidity touch the deep history of mankind ", - said in a conversation with the artist Eduard Mezhul.
The artist uses allegorical motifs that fill his works with significance, encourage the viewer to think. He and she, yin and yang, soul and flesh in the cyclical nature of the universe. This is how dialogue in space and time arises, when the echo of the historical past adds value to the present. Antip uses comparisons that not only complement his creative images with expressiveness, but also make them significant. A series of sculptures aptly directs our imagination to the times of the courageous Scythians, the origins of human civilization. Peter Antip seeks to influence the thinking of modern society, encourages us to rethink common values, shows almost what you need to live an active creative life. The author wants us to feel something special to the ordinary, so his artistic language is concise in form in sculpture, expressive in drawings, eloquent in painting.
All this speaks of a thoughtful artist who has a remarkable creative gift, knows Ukrainian history, folk signs, semantics, who has something to say to people. Bridges from the past to the present, where the family, humanity, culture, and echoes of the native land play an important role, are laid through symbolic artistic images filled with symbolism.
Life-giving images affect the mood of the viewer, direct the imagination of contemporaries to family values. And the philosophical color of the author forms the desire to know the truth, to feel the importance of the cyclical nature of time and the place of man in this cycle.
Life without ornaments with family warmth, love, eroticism and dreams… Everything is in your hands, just always be ready for new accomplishments and trials, say the works of Peter Antipas. "Sky for those who have wings" (Alta alatis patent) is a Latin proverb.
Valentina Efremova art critic, honored worker of culture of Ukraine ..
Photo by Eduard Mezhul, artist, teacher.
