The greatest artist of "Socialist Modernism". Vyacheslav Akhunov.

Vyacheslav Akhunov

The artist, Vyacheslav Akhunov, stands out among Uzbek artists.

After having graduated from the Moscow State Institute of Art in 1979, he, as a quite developed artist-conceptualist, settled down in the town of Fergana. Having in mind his rejection of Soviet art of totalitarian system, his choice of conceptualism and actionism grounded on countercultural values and personal moral choice as the core of his art seems to be reasonable.

In 1962 Vyacheslav Akhunov has entered in artistic college, located in capital of the Soviet Socialist Republic Kirgizia city Frunze. Then served the ordinary soldier in rows of the Soviet Army.

Vyacheslav Akhunov's first projects, as a kind of crossing the limits of the picturesque form and radicalism of art statements, stylistically appealing to the avant-garde, and also the strict supervision of artists’ activity by party authorities and KGB resulted in frequent trips to mountains or work at the apartment or in a workshop of the artist.

After his voicing the protest against military actions in Afghanistan which followed by another call to KGB , the artist was compelled to leave the city of Fergana and took up the invitation of Chairman of the Union of artists of Uzbekistan, Rakhim Ahmedov, to move to capital of the Soviet Socialist Republic Uzbekistan - Tashkent.

In 1974-1987 the artist works on the realization of the serial projects in collage technique: “Lenin’s plan of monumental propaganda”, “Leniniana of Vyacheslav Akhunov”, “Stamps, seals, stencils”, dedicated to the figure of revolution leader V.I.Lenin, but with certain portion of irony, first of all sneering at idolization of the leader, especially by the way of creating agitational-propagandistic fiction known as socialistic realism. In his collages the artist uses serial illustrative printed material by

drawing from numerous sources: books, magazines on art, albums, and posters. Simultaneously the artist works at project “ART-chaelogy USSR. Socialistic Epoch.”, “The doubt (Asking again)”, “Bijouterie U.S.S.R.”, “Philosophy of the desert. "Sand of oblivion”, "Party line".

In 1977, an artist named The Socialist modernism (Soc-modern) style svoiz works. Believes that socialist realism has revolutionary potential. "This style, socialist realism calls" frozen socialist realism.

In the same year, a project "Alphabet of totalitarianism" (ABC Great glaciation).

Among all concepts graphically expressed in 1976-1979 one can single out projects of poststructuralistic nature. Firstly such projects as "Is it stuffy?", "Have we won?" and others. The projects are based on the concept of three-dimensional text and phrases presentation different to two-dimensional one.

For example the questions "IS IT STUFFY? " or "HAVE WE WON?", volumetric and of huge size, made of a bar and tide poles, squeezed in the exhibition space of the Arena, could become a vivid symbol of the time (such idea would be, in opinion of party functionaries, blasphemous jeer on existing authority " elects of people ").

In 1989-1990, the artist packed my creative archive in boxes and decided to bring the archive into oblivion for 20 years. In the 90 years of the artist is actively engaged in the work of literature and cinema. In 2008, part of the archive of the artist has been published.

Vyacheslav Akhunov.

The artistic direction - socialist modernism He was born July 2, 1948 in the city of Osh, Kyrgyzstan.

In 1962 he entered the Republican Art School (CFCs) in the city of Frunze (Bishkek).

1977-1979 - engineer-sapper soldier in the Soviet Army.

1973-1979 - Moscow State Academic Art Institute named Surikov.

The first of its artistic direction - socialist modernism - made in 1974.

Since 1981 he has been living in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Selected shows since 2005

2018: The Second Yinchuan Biennale, “Starting from the Desert: Ecologies on the Edge,� opened on JUNE 9, 2018, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Yinchuan. Will Be Curated By Marco Scotini.

Vyacheslav Akhunov, Red Mantra Laura Bulian Gallery, Milan Curator: Marco Scotini , APR 12, 2018 - JUL 06, 2018

2017: Neon Paradise. Shamanism from Central Asia, Laura Bulian Gallery, Milan FEB 09, 2017 - MAR 17, 2017 2016: Mutual art project “Parallelism’s in Uzbek and Ukrainian languages” with V. Akhunov / The international Contemporary exhibition (Instead undo VIII Tashkent Biennale of Contemporary Art/ Tashkent, Uzbekistan; OKT 06, 2016 – NOV 07, 2017; QUAND FONDRA LA NEIGE, OU IRA LE BLANC. Contemporary collecting at Palazzo Fortuny, Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia, Palazzo Fortuny, Artworks from Enea Righi collection at Museo di Palazzo Fortuny Venice, June 4 – October 10, 2016 / extended to November 6, 2016, Curated by Eric Mezil and Lorenzo Paini; Personal exhibition "UNDER DOUBT", Luda gallery, St. Petersburg, February; "VIDEO ART. OVER COMING UNAUTHENTICITY" Zero Line gallery, Tashkent, December;

2015: BALAGAN!!! in Berlin (NOVEMBER 2015), curated by David Elliott; «La quarta prosa». Vyacheslav Akhunov, Babi Badalov, Vlado Martek, Dmitrj Prigov, a cura di Marco Scotini, 19 novembre 2015 – 25 marzo 2016, Laura Bulian Gallery (nuova sede), Via G. B. Piranesi 10, Milano. Italy;

«Early Too Late». Middle East and Modernity», curated by Marco Scotini, Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna, Bologna, Italy; ARTE FIERA 2015, January 23rd – 26 th, Hall 25 - Stand B22, Laura Bulian Gallery, Milan, Italy; ART DUBAI, March 18rd – 21 th, Johara Hall - Stand J4, Laura Bulian Gallery, Milan, Italy; «Project 35: The Last Act», Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow, Russia, August 10, 2015 – January 31, 2016;

2014: «And the trees set forth to seek for a king», curated by Raphie Etgar Museum On the Seam (MOTS), Jerusalem, Israel; International Photography Exhibition, «The Other & me», curated

by Jassim Alawadhi and Colin Reaney, Sharjha Art Museum, Sharjha, UAE; The empty pedestal. («Il Piedistallo Vuoto. Fantasmi dell’Est Europa»), curated by Marco Scotini, Museo Archeologico, Bologna, Italy; VOLTA NY. Solo Vyacheslav Akhunov, March 6– 9, 2014, Between Spring and Broome Streets – New York, NY, gallery Intell’s Top 5 Recommendations: VOLTANY Basel, VOLTA 10, Laura Bulian Gallery, Milan, Italy, June 16- 21 2014; “Video Art from Central Asia”. Beirut, Lebanon. Sep. 15, 2014 | 12:22 Am (Last Updated: September 17, 2014 | 03:53 Pm), Scenes from the post-Soviet steppe “Video Forecast: A Selection of Video Art from Central Asia” is up at the AUB Byblos Bank Art Gallery through Oct. 24. 2014;

International semi Art Street- Projects "Fame not fallen heroes" & "Fame Maydan Heroes", December 1 2013- 26 January, V. Akhunov (Uzbekistan) & O. Kharch (Ukraine)/ Kyiv, Ukraine;

2013: «The Red Line», Solo Vyacheslav Akhunov, curated by Marco Scotini, Laura Bulian Gallery, Milan, Italy; «Lost to the Future», Institute of Contemporary Arts, Singapore Biennale 2013, If the World Changed, Singapore; 5th Moscow Biennale 2013, «More light», curated by Catherine de Zegher, Moscow, Russia; 55. Venice Biennial, Venice, Italy, «Winter», curated by Ayatgali Tuleubek and Tiago Bom, Central Asian Pavillion; «The Collection As A Character» MuHKA museum, Antwerp, Belgium;

2012: dOKUMENTA 13, Kassel, Germany 2012, curated by Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, Kassel, Germany; Arsenale 2012, 1 Ukrainian Biennale of Contemporary Art, curated by David Elliott, Kyiv. Ukraine; «Revolution vs Revolution», Beirut Art Center, Beirut; PROJECT 35. Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts Springfield, Massachusetts USA, June 7, 2011 - June 24, 2012; William Benton Museum of Art, Storrs, Connecticut USA, January

18, 2011 - January 31, 2012;

2011: «I´ve Dreamt About», NOV 23, 2011 - MAR 04, 2012, MUDAM - Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, Luxembourg; ATLAS. How To Carry the World On One's Back?

DEICHTORHALLEN HAMBURG | GERMANY OCT 01, 2011 - NOV 27, 2011; Exhibition at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia; Karlruhe, Germany - ZKM | Museum fur Neue Kunst. Hamburg, Germany - Sammlung Faickenberg. 2010- 2011; «Between Heaven and Earth» - Contemporary Art from the Centre of Asia, Calvert22, London, UK; OSTALGIA, curated by Massimiliano Gioni, New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York City, NY, USA; 4 BIENNALE OF CONTEMPORARY ART, “Special projects”, Moscow, Russia; PROJECT 35 Redux: The Galleries at Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USAMarch 13, 2010 - March 13, 2011; Saint Joseph College Art Gallery, West Hartford, Connecticut USA, February 18, 2010 - January 23, 2011; Pratt Manhattan Gallery New York, New York, USA, June 17, 2011 - July 30, 2011; Al Hoash Gallery East Jerusalem, April 1, 2011 - June 30, 2011; Indianapolis Museum of Art Indianapolis, Indiana USA, April 1,

2011 - October 30, 2011; The Cube Project Space Taipei, Taiwan, January 15, 2011 - March 13, 2011; The Rebecca Randall Bryan Gallery Conway, South Carolina USA, January 13, 2011 - March 4, 2011; Mobile Museum of Art Mobile, Alabama USA, December 1, 2010 October 31, 2011; New Orleans Museum of Art New Orleans, Louisiana USA, October 20, 2010 - January 30, 2011; San Art Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, September 23, 2010 - June 30, 2011; G‫צ‬teborgs Konsthall G‫צ‬teborg, Sweden, June 4, 2010 - February 13, 2011;

2010: Watchmen, Liars, Dreamers (Erudition concrete 3), FRAC Ile-de-France Le Plateau, Paris, France; GROUND FLOOR AMERICA, Austria, Danish.

Klagenfurt, Austria. Exhibition: January 14 to February 26, 2010 Kunstraum Lakeside, Lakeside Park, Klagenfurt, Austria, Centre of Contemporary Art, Copenhagen.

Danish, Danish Central for Culture and Development DCCD. Exhibition: July 3rd - August 8th; «Ground Floor America», Den Frie Centre of Contemporary Art, Copenhagen, Denmark;

Lonely at the Top #5, curated by Viktor Misiano, MuHKA, Antwerp, Belgium, 21 may 2010; Mudam Collection: "I’VE DREAMT ABOUT", Luxembourg Mus‫י‬e d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean (Mudam Luxembourg). Exhibitions 23.11.2011-04.03. 2012; PROJECT 35 North Carolina Museum of Art Raleigh, North Carolina USA; Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science Sioux Falls, South Dakota USA. October 1, 2010 - January 1, 2011; Ceroinspiraci‫ף‬n Quito, Ecuador. April 22, 2010 - June 23, 2010; Press to Exit Project Space Skopje, Macedonia. March 29, 2010 December 31, 2010; Participating in the 2nd Annual Brick + Mortar Video Art Festival Downtown Greenfield, MA. 2 - 10 pm October 9, 2010; Screening Lefehouse, 35 Sinari Daranijo, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. August 27, 2010; Screening and Talk Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos Nigeria. August 26, 2010; Screening E Per 7 shmja, Tirana, Albania. August 17, 2010; Screening Qendra Socliale (Social Center), Tirana, Albania, August 16, 2010; Screening & Discussion with Susan Hapgood The Douglas Hade Gallery, C. Dublin, Ireland, 5-6:30 pm. Vay 13, 2010; Screening Converge Curator Forum, Art Cicago, The Merchandise

Mart NEXT Talk Shop, 7th Floor, Chicago, IL, US, April 30, 2010; Screening Mexico Citi, Mexico 8:30 pm. April 16, 2010; Screening LAXART 2640 S. La Cienega, Los Angeles, CA, US, 7 pm. March 30; Screening & Discussion Serialwopks Cape Town, South Africa, 7:30-8 pm. February 20, 2010; EATTOPIA. The 2nd Taiwan International Video Art Exhibition 2010, Chew’s Culture Foundation, Hong-Gah Museum. Curators Chen Yung-Hsien & Sean C. S. Hu & 2010/10/2 to 2011/1/2; EATTOPIA. Microwave International New Media Arts Festival 2010. Program："Eattopia", Art Museum, National Taiwan University of Arts; THE MELANCHOLY OF RESISTANCE. Works from the M HKA Collection, 6.11.2010 – 3.01.2011. Centre of Contemporary Art “Znaki Czasu” in Torun, Poland; THE WATCHMEN, THE LIARS, THE DREAMERS, (Concrete Erudition 3), Le Plateau, Paris, France, 16 September to 14 November 2010; MONUMENTO A LA TRANSFORMACION, Galería de imágenes, Montehermoso, Espana; OK | BIENNALE CUVEE 10. World Selection of Contemporary Art Linz, Austria, March IN EXPECTATION OF HOUSE-WARMING? Domestic exhibition, devoted to the 19th anniversary of Independence of Republic of Uzbekistan, artist’s studio, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 31 August 2010;

LENIN ALIVE? OR SYSTEM FAILURES. Domestic exhibition, devoted to 140 years form the birth of Vladimir Il’ich Lenin, artist’s studio, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 22 April 2010; RUSSIAN UTOPI. FUTUROLOGIC, “Garaj” gallery, Moscow, Russia; WHAT HAPPENS TO THE HOLE WHEN THE CHEESE IS GONE? New Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia; WHAT HAPPENS TO THE HOLE WHEN THE CHEESE IS GONE? Museo d'Arte Contemporanea della Sicilia in Catania in Fondazione Puglisi Cosentino, Palazzo Valle, Palermo - Palazzo Riso, Itali;

2009: Changing Climate, WUK Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna, Austria; 11th International Istanbul Biennial, curated by WHW/What, How & for Whom collective, Istanbul, Turkey:- Die 11. Edition präsentiert ein solides Statement zur Notwendigkeit der Politisierung von Kultur. Von Özge Ersoy, Oktober 2009; Greek school Feriköy: 12. September - 8. November 2009. Subject: Since what does the person live on? Curators: WHW - What, How & for Whom.

Tobacco warehouse: 12. September - 8. November 2009. Subject: Since what does the person live on? Curators: WHW - What, How & for Whom.

Antrepo #3: 12. September - 8. November 2009. Subject: Since what does the person live on? Curators: WHW - What, How & for Whom;

“Red Thread" a prologue to Istanbul Biennial "What Keeps Mankind Alive?", Tanas, Berlin, Germany; The view from elsewhere. Small Acts , Queensland Art Gallery / Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, Australia; For Keeps: Sampling Recent Acquisitions 2006 – 2009, Auckland Art Gallery, Auckland, New Zeland; Monument to Transformation 1989-2009, City Gallery Prague / Galerie Hlavního M?sta Prahy, Prague, Czech Republic; «East of Nowhere», 32 Künstler und Gruppen aus dem post-sowjetischen Zentralasien in der Fondazione 107, Turin, Italien, Juli 2009; FESTIVAL OF DIGITAL CINEMA, Centre of Contemporary Art, Cleveland, South Australia; A ROSE OF A WORLD, Moscow, Russia; BIENNALE CONTEMPORARY ART "ALLUMINIUM», Baku, Azerbaidjan;

2008: BIENNALE CONTEMPORARY ART - BUSAN BIENNALE 2008, Busan, South Korea; «I dream of the stans»: videos actuales de Asia central, Museo de Arte de El Salvador, MARTE, San Salvador, Bahamas; TRACES DU SACRE 2008, France, Germany. Centre of Contemporary Art of Pompidou, Paris, France, May-September Haus der Kunst, Munich, Munich, Germany, October-February;

«Tracing Roads through Central Asia», Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, USA; «Laughterlife», Diehl + Gallery One, Moscow, Russia; «I Dream of the Stans», Winkleman Gallery, New York, USA; THE PARABLE OF GARDEN, New Media Art from Iran & Central Asia, The College of New Jersey, USA, February 20 March 30; OLD/NAW POUTES: A SELECTION OF VIDEO ART FROM CENTRAL ASIA, BizArt Art Center, Shanghai. 1.12 – 20 2008 Presented at BizArt Center in Shanghai, China; "I DREAM OF THE STANS. New Central Asian Video, the Winkleman Gallery", New York, USA;

2007: Live Cinema/The Return of the Image: Video from Central Asia Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, USA; Time of the Storytellers, curated by Viktor Misiano, Kiasma, Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland; 52nd International Art Exhibition Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy; La Biennale de Montréal 2007, Montreal, Canada; 3rd Auckland Triennial, Artspace, Auckland; DESTINATION ASIA: FLYND OVER STEREOTYPES. The exhibition of Central Asia artist. Gallery “Project 88”, Mumbai, India. 21/12/2007 – 05/01/2008; XI ART MOSCOW. SHAR-CITY. The maiden landing, The maiden

landing, (discovery of May 16 at 19.00, Moscow, The central House of the Artists, hall № 19), Russia; VIDEO ART IN CENTRAL ASIA. Bose Pacia Gallery, January 12, Chelsea, New York, USA; CENTRAL ASIA PROJECT, gallery «CORNERHOUSE», Manchester, England; CENTRAL ASIA PROJECT, gallery «SPECE», London, England; THERMOCLINE OF ART-NEW ASIAN WAVES, Museum of Contemporary Art, ZKM. D - 76135, Karlsruhe, Germany (“ZKM”), as the exhibition host; Period: 14th June ~ 21st October-ZKM (Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie) located at Lorenzstraße 19. Karlsruhe. Blind Alley, 2007. Video; HARDTHOF/ARThof IV. Hardthof-Fest, Video-Art, am 30.06.2007, Vorsitzender des Unterer Hardthof e.V. Germany; ART ATHINA 2007 contemporary art fair of Athens, International Art Fair of Athens, Greece. The exhibition “On Geekdom”, that Viktor Misiano is curating as a parallel project of Art Athina 2007 – contemporary art fair of Athens, 31.05-03.06; VIDEO-ART FROM CENTRAL ASIA. Gallery “Arsenal”, Bialystok, Poland. (Gallery “Arsenal”, ul. Mickiewicza 2, 15-222 Bialystok, Poland); THE EXHIBITION PROJECT: SHAR-CITY. AN EPILOGUE. Center of a modern Art. The organizers: the society of development of actual art. Kyiv, Ukraine, April 11, 2007; METAFUTURIZM - «Faults - plants», Center of a modern art (Moscow), Center of a modern art (Kyiv), Spiderprojects (Moscow);

СONSTELLATION P.S. The exhibition of a modern Art. Tashkent, Uzbekistan; The exhibition - presentation of the project "Blind alley", video арт. April, studio of the artist, Tashkent, Uzbekistan; The exhibition - presentation of the project "Grain for canary", Video - Art. January, studio of the artist, Tashkent, Uzbekistan; Output to the ending with obtaining of the grant of the program CEC ArtsLink Visart Central Asia of State department of USA for 2007;

Collections: Musée d´Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean (Musée d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean (MUDAM) - Visit Luxembourg); Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp (M HKA) Antwerp, Belgium; Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent, Belgium; State Tretyakov gallery, Moscow; State museum of arts of I. V. Savitsky of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, city of Nukus; Museum of arts of Uzbekistan; Directorate of Exhibitions of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Samarkand museum of history and culture of art of the people of Uzbekistan; Art gallery in the city of Urgench, Uzbekistan;

Directorate of Exhibitions of the Ministry of Culture of the USSR; Directorate of Exhibitions of the Union of artists of the USSR; Directorate of Exhibitions of the Union of artists of the Uzbek SSR; Enea Righi Collection, Italy.

Vyacheslav Akhunov – Wikipedia de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyacheslav_Akhunov Vyacheslav Akhunov | Zeitgenössische Kunst | Hatje Cantz Verlag.

Vyacheslav Akhunov. Während des Sowjetregimes versteckte der Künstler, Autor und Philosoph Vyacheslav Akhunov seine Notizbücher in Ställen und. www.hatjecantz.de/vyacheslav-akhunov-5228-0.html Zentralasien: Vyacheslav Akhunov, 51. Biennale Venedig 2005 Informationen und Rundgang, 51. Biennale von Venedig 2005.

Universes in Universe - Welten der Kunst. universes-in-universe.de/car/venezia/bien51/deu/central-asia/img-0 7.htm ОДИНОКИЙ РЕЙНДЖЕР CONTEMPORARY ART http://art1.ru/2013/12/12/odinokij-rejndzher-contemporary-art-2837 0 SPRINGERIN Band XVI Helf 3 - Sommer 10. Weke 1974-1991 Vyacheslav Akhunov. Bildstreckt. Text: What, How and for Whon/WHW

Вячеслав Ахунов: «Изгнание из рая под названием «искусство» можно считать фактом» http://artukraine.com.ua/a/vyacheslav-ahunov-izgnanie-iz-raya-pod -nazvaniem-iskusstvo-mozhno-schitat-faktom/#.WG3-hMfgB0s Vyacheslav Akhunov - The Red Line http://www.exibart.com/profilo/eventiV2.asp?idelemento=136984 Il Piedistallo Vuoto – Conversazione con Vyacheslav Akhunov https://www.alfabeta2.it/2014/02/20/il-piedistallo-vuoto-conversazio ne-con-vyacheslav-akhunov/ The Fourth Prose http://www.artfacts.net/en/exhibition/the-fourth-prose-727108/over view.html Политический поп-арт | Вячеслав Ахунов (автор: Алена Кайдагалиева) http://old.art-initiatives.org/?p=11354 Выставка Вячеслава Ахунова. ТЫ БУДЕШЬ ЖИТЬ ПРИ… file:///Users/vyacheslavakhunov/Desktop/ZZZ/Выставка%20Вячесл ава%20Ахунова.%20ТЫ%20БУДЕШЬ%20ЖИТЬ%20ПРИ…%20. ..%20-%20galleryluda.com.webarchive Дискусия с Виктором Мизиано https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnwFeJt5rp4&feature=youtu.b e День сурка? http://xz.gif.ru/numbers/65-66/akhunov/ «Человек другого склада» Интервью с Вячеславом Ахуновым (интервьюировала Юлия Сорокина, искусствовед, доктор философии, куратор. Живет в Алматы) https://syg.ma/@oleg-kharchenko/chieloviek-drughogho-sklada

In-Art НЕНАСТОЯЩЕЕ НАСТОЯЩЕЕ http://be-inart.com/post/view/1805 https://www.alfabeta2.it/2018/07/01/i-rossi-mantra-di-vyacheslav-a khunov/ 1 LUGLIO 2018 DI REDAZIONE I rossi mantra di Vyacheslav Akhunov.