The Velvet season, 2022

Konovalov Igor  

He was born in 1965 in the city of Novy Bug.

1983—1987 — Dnipropetrovsk State Art School.

1987-1993 — Kyiv State Art Institute.

Since 1993, co-founder of the art commune "Squat on Olehivska Street", the activity of which has two periods:

1993-1996 — "classic squat" (occupation of premises for workshops and housing, exhibition activity, as a practice of introduction into society).

1996-2006 — "fictitious squat" (author of the project — Fiction Gallery Expedition. — going beyond workshops and galleries (institutions) into open urban space.

The founder of the Hill-art direction (art on the hills), within the framework of which actions were held and facilities were created on the hills of Kyiv.

2010-2020 - develops the author's mythology, which he named "Infodelica".

The creator of paintings, promotions, objects and video art.

Lives and works in Kyiv.

EXHIBITIONS

Personal exhibitions:

2020 - Recreation room, Kyiv History Museum, Kyiv

2019 - "Voices", CSM "Soviart", Kyiv

2018 – "Two pages", Kyiv History Museum, Kyiv

2017 - "Point of support", CSM "Soviart", Kyiv

2016 – "Presidency", CSM "Soviart", Kyiv

2016 - "Relax", CSM "Soviart", Kyiv

2015 – "Wi-Fi", DTEK Academy, business center "Eurasia", Kyiv

2013 - "Infa&infadelika", 8-bit Gallery, Kyiv

2012 - "Infa", Gallery "Forest", Moscow, Russia

2011 - "Infa", RA Gallery, Kyiv

2010 – I. Konovalov, Museum of Sovr. image of Arts of Ukraine (MSIIU), Kyiv

2009 – "Golden Mountains", RA Gallery, Kyiv

2008 - Ctrl-Z, RA Gallery, Kyiv

Group exhibitions:

2020 – ART CAPITAL, Grand Palais, Paris. Salon Comparaisons, groupe Alain Campello

2017 - "Squat on Olehivska Street", Sumy Municipal Gallery, Sumy

2015 – Museum collections, Ukrainian modern art. (1985-2015)

2015 – "Coefficient of independence" (America House), Kyiv

2015 - "Art for Life" - charity project, "Art Arsenal", Kyiv

2014 - The 21st nude art exhibition "MAN & WOMAN", At the Museum of New Art, Pärnu, Estonia

2012 - "Squat on Olehivska", M17 Center of Contemporary Art, Kyiv

2012 - Art-Moscow, 16th International Art Fair, Moscow, Russia

2011 - "Independents", New art of the new country 1991-2011, "Art Arsenal", Kyiv

2011 – "Space Odyssey-2011", "Art Arsenal", Kyiv

2010 - Art project "AUT" - international art project, Chocolate House, Kyiv

Press:

• Catalog for a personal exhibition: I. Konovalov, Museum of Modern Fine Arts of Ukraine (MSIIU), "Infa", "Forest" Gallery

• The book "Squat on Olehivska Street" (1993 - 2015), Kyiv

• Collection of the Museum of Ukrainian Modern Art 1985–2015 from private collections

25 years of presence. Modern Ukrainian artists. 1991-2016, Kyiv

• Collection of catalogs of participation in numerous exhibitions and auctions

The group of artists "Squat on Olehivska", whose members include Ihor Konovalov, was a non-commercialized view of art and demonstrated an innovative approach to the interpretation of modern processes in society.

They were called "Satanists" and "prophets", progenitors of the original Ukrainian postmodernism and exhibitionists hiding from the press, who change the landscapes around - leveling the concepts of museums and galleries, artists who show indifference to the cynical spirit of the time.

This trend, which was formed in the early 90s under the noise of excitement of the times and uncertainty about the future, left bright strokes in the history of Ukrainian painting. Bright performances and flash mobs, marginal actions and protection of society, painting full of eroticism and indifference to the statute, the collapse of walls and the expansion of the framework of the traditional space for art.

The main content and essence of Igor Konovalov's work is the field of communications in modern societies.

For two decades, the artist has been researching and visualizing the processes of interaction between man and art, as well as the powerful influence of information flows on society.

Ihor Konovalov notes the existence of invisible and rapid particles of information in the modern space. These particles transmit an infinite and unique digital stream of data that has conquered the whole world. Never before has humanity had such an instantaneous transfer of information.

The artist offers the viewer to see modern information particles in the form of "bunnies" - fast in reproduction and rapid in their distribution. Their moving images filled the entire space of modern man's life.

The artist's painting is characterized by exquisite harmony. Ihor Konovalov perfectly masters the magic of color, using the entire range of modern pigments, creating rich contrasts and the finest nuances of color combinations on canvases.

Currently, the informational intervention is ongoing. But Ihor Konovalov's "bunnies" bring light and joy, since the right to choose information remains with the person.

According to the artist:

In my works, I want to photograph the world as I see it, as I want to see it, but sometimes it is as it can never be.

The image of what I write does not just appear, but knocks on the back of the head and drives me to the workshop.

Beauty is ducks in a pond and monkeys on palm trees, but they transform into other images and so endlessly.

I dream that one day I will see the earth from space.