Illuminators, Art-Koltsovo

YEKATERINBURG AIRPORT, KOLTSOVO (RU)

Yekaterinburg «Koltsovo» airport presents the international exhibition project «ILLUMINATORS» which works from April, 11th to July 11th 2008 in the open spaces of the International terminal of the airport. The artworks for the exhibitions have been selected on a competitive basis by an international Jury Board.
At an exhibition digital prints and digital videos in the form of «tondo» are presented.

The exhibition
The exhibition shows modern versions of «tondo» – the form of pictures with ancient traditions. The electronic files of works recieved by participants and than reproduced by the organizers like as digital prints, light boxes, video objects/i nstallations and video projections. The organizers have challenge the interior environment of the international terminal of «Koltsovo» airport. Visually the exposition represented by numerous round spots of lights «floating/ hovering» free in the airport cubage.

Works of art
Digital graphics, digital photos, digital animation, video objects, video installation, single-channel video.

Concept.
In Russian an «illuminator» (port hole) is a round window onboard a ship, airplane, space station.
The concept of the project is based on the round shape of the exhibited works of art. This formal principle is closely connected with on the one hand the image of aircrafts and air travels (till recently planes have had round port holes); on the other hand it plastically continues and supports the idea of the round plafonds in the foyer of the terminal where the exposition will be installed. Here the formal aspects of concept close down the meaning of the word ILLUMINATORS in the majority of European languages, where the Latin word means a lighting unit, a source of light, a screen, somebody or something shedding light, lighting and also an artist illustrating/ decorating manuscripts. That’s why ILLUMINATORS are not only works of art but also those creating them – artists.
A round is the most harmonious shape, a fundamental archetypical sign offering a vast variety of associations. One of its most obvious meanings is the world. In this case ILLUMINATOR is an artist’s worldview projection or worldview magnifying glass or «window» into artist’s world.
The exposition of «ILLUMINATORS» exhibition visually and conceptually coincide with the name of the airport «Koltsovo» («koltso» is Russian for a «ring»; ring – round). The exhibition will be opened on the eve of the Day of Cosmonautics. Russian cosmonautics started to some extend in «Koltsovo» as the first jet engines were tested here.
The project is aimed to create a positive, emotionally rich environment in the waiting rooms of the international terminal. Besides the exhibition provides the passengers and guests of the airport with the recent achievements of international contemporary art.

Curator: Arseny Sergeev
A media artist, curator and organizer of noumerous public art festivals and projects. His main curatorial projects are the festival of monumental painting on concrete fences «Long Stories of Yekaterinburg» (2002-2007), the festival of video art on the city screens «OUTVIDEO» (2003-2007), the monument to a computer keypad «Klava» in Yekaterinburg (2005), the festival of modern Dutch art on Yekaterinburg (2003), exhibition tour through Russia «30 years of Dutch video art» (2004-2005), series of leaflet action «Agitation for art» (2000-2001).

«Art Koltsovo» program
«Art-Koltsovo» is the first strategic long-term program in Russian air industry aimed at introduction of works of art and designs inside the international «Koltsovo» airport and in its adjacent territory.

The organizers of the program
International «Koltsovo» airport (Yekaterinburg, Russia) www.koltsovo.ru
International «Koltsovo» airport is one of the leading airports in Russia. It cooperates with 65 Russian and foreign air companies which directly link Yekaterinburg with many cities of Europe, Asia and Northern Africa. Having implemented a large-scale reconstruction with the help of its strategic investor - Group of companies «RENOVA», «Koltsovo» will be able to become highly competitive with metropolitan airports and will become an ultimately convenient hub for the main air passenger flow and freight traffic in the country.

Program support
Ministry of International and External Economic Relations of Sverdlovsk Oblast
Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Sverdlovsk Oblast
ANPMO «Institution for Corporate Development» of the RENOVA Group of Companies

Program operator
Artpolitika agency www.artpolitika.ru
The agency specializes in development and organization of contemporary art (public art) programs and projects in public spaces.

Contacts:

Nailya Allahverdieva - director of the program
e-mail: nailya [at] artpolitika . ru,
(343) 374-73-18,
+7 (908) 917-31-15;
skype: artpolitika

Arseny Sergeev - curator of the program
arseny [at] artpolitika . ru,
(343) 374 73 18,
+7 (904) 985-90-40;
skype: artpolitik

Julia Fedotova - PR director of the airport “Koltsovo” plc.
pr [at] koltsovo.ru;
(343) 345-36-71.