Speaking in Forgotten Languages
Have you ever wondered what comics and rock art have in common?
Artist Semyon Ushkov, who combines these two trends in his work, is convinced that while languages may change, what matters is the essence the author conveys via them as an interpreter.
Born in Moscow and living in Bangkok, Thailand, Semyon Ushkov is a real rising star in the world of visual art - a must-see. One of his recent exhibitions, Moscow Art Gallery's "New Sinfulness - Little Dark Age" (2021), impressed viewers with its mixture of genres and how it speaks from the walls of the exhibition hall.
His work with tribal graphics - images taken from the walls of cave paintings and folk costumes - was noteworthy, but what kind of folk is it? Not from the past, but rather from the future. Semyon is inspired by the idea of combining the traditions of the past with new techniques, turning his ideas and feelings into digital art.
From pure graphics to tribal patterns, from magical realism to analogue photography, from painting to virtual reality, from comics to the study of typography, as if decoding letters. Semyon is not limited to any one language, but tries to speak to the viewer in all of them, tapping out his message like a polyphonic Morse code, opening doors to his world.
And I must say that he succeeds. What the artist wants to achieve he articulates as a clear vision of a new world, a clarity of vision and feeling for the viewer. And if you look closely at the media he uses, it becomes clear: the conversation is about one thing and in one language — the language of image.
Victoria Dini
03.03.2022
Artist Semyon Ushkov, who combines these two trends in his work, is convinced that while languages may change, what matters is the essence the author conveys via them as an interpreter.
Born in Moscow and living in Bangkok, Thailand, Semyon Ushkov is a real rising star in the world of visual art - a must-see. One of his recent exhibitions, Moscow Art Gallery's "New Sinfulness - Little Dark Age" (2021), impressed viewers with its mixture of genres and how it speaks from the walls of the exhibition hall.
His work with tribal graphics - images taken from the walls of cave paintings and folk costumes - was noteworthy, but what kind of folk is it? Not from the past, but rather from the future. Semyon is inspired by the idea of combining the traditions of the past with new techniques, turning his ideas and feelings into digital art.
From pure graphics to tribal patterns, from magical realism to analogue photography, from painting to virtual reality, from comics to the study of typography, as if decoding letters. Semyon is not limited to any one language, but tries to speak to the viewer in all of them, tapping out his message like a polyphonic Morse code, opening doors to his world.
And I must say that he succeeds. What the artist wants to achieve he articulates as a clear vision of a new world, a clarity of vision and feeling for the viewer. And if you look closely at the media he uses, it becomes clear: the conversation is about one thing and in one language — the language of image.
Victoria Dini
03.03.2022