Environment: "Lazy Project," "Art Discourse 97."

In the twentieth century, the art world has expanded its boundaries indefinitely, and the question arises: What has happened to the center of this art? Has it become dominated by kitsch, or can it be restored to its original meaning?

To restore the center, we need to direct the energy of the periphery towards this center. This project, along with others, is part of the larger long-term goal of "Eurasian Utopia." The center of art refers to anything related to the idea of "plasticity." We will turn directly to touch and experience, memories, and ideas of artists to "refresh the eyes" and revive traditions. When looking at the world from the ground up, we see reality from an unexpected and paradoxical angle. The viewer's gaze is directed towards the horizon, which coincides with their own location. The "Lazy Project" is about living on the ground, which becomes a work of art. It is an attempt to bring art centers closer to the solution to their problems. Let's take a look at the origins of the "Lazy Project".

The traditional nomadic lifestyle of the Great Steppe people is at the heart of the project. The way of viewing the world through a yurt rug or from the floor is what distinguishes them from European urban dwellers. It also separates them from Eastern countries' inhabitants, who have lost their connection to the earth and their ability to leisurely observe nature. Instead, they seek widespread technological advancement. If earlier, the artist's body was seen as a work of art, "Lazy Project" follows Michel Foucault's idea and suggests the way of life of a nomad, that is, it stylizes his existence and turns it into a work of art. Thus, objective aspirations give way to the aesthetics of existence. By reverting to the original characteristics of the eye, the near field becomes an integral part of a new vision, with its colors, textures, and mass. Considering one's own body as a landscape leads us to aspects of the artist's framework that shape reality. A round, white parachute hangs beneath the dome of the Tien Shan Observatory. It can be reached with one's hand. The video "The Quiet Life of the Body" is projected on the parachute's lowest point. Along the wall, there are bodily voids and a seven-meter-long tape "Lazy Cinema," which lies there. The floor of the observatory is designed to be tactile and has been divided into different areas. The entrance is even covered in gravel. In the middle of the room is a low circular table made of wood, which sits on top of the concrete foundation for the telescope. Surrounding the table is an oval shape of clay semicircles decorated with images of naked bodies, while behind it is another soft semi-circular area covered in mats and covered in gray felt, the visual area. The rest of the space is covered in sand with groups of rocks and steppe grass intermixed.

Along the walls are objects that somehow relate to bodily functions. Combined with a video projection, this creates a version of "double Chinese cannons" (landscapes and parks created according to the same principles as landscape painting). The equipment includes a parachute, a wooden table, mattresses, felt, clay, sand, gravel, dried grass, stones, and painted plywood. The project participants are Natalia Melekhina, Yulia Sorokina, and Georgy Tryakin-Bukharov.

You can view the works and photos of the exhibition on our website by following the link.