Agatha 100, 2017

Gregory Orekhov  

The artwork is a tumbler.

In 2017, the sculpture “Agatha" was created from polished stainless steel, dedicated to the sculptor's daughter and made in the form of a tumbler Nevalyashka - a toy familiar to everyone who grew up in the USSR. The tumbler, a symbol of childhood and human perseverance, has a unique design: its spherical body hides a weighting agent, thanks to which the doll, despite all attempts to overturn it, always returns to an upright position.

Nevalyashka is one of the icons of Soviet design. But the toy, associated with the USSR all over the world for many years, was actually invented in the East. The first tumbler appeared in Russia about 200 years ago: its prototype, the Daruma doll, was most likely imported from Japan by merchants. The Daruma figurine depicted the hermit monk Bodhidharma, who spent nine years motionless in meditation, because of which his arms and legs atrophied. For such devotion to faith, the Japanese began to revere the monk, and over time he became a kind of deity, bringing happiness and fulfilling New Year's wishes.

"In the sculpture of Gregory Orekhov, the mode of reflection and retraction operates, and this in a situation of dynamics, real or implied (return movement of the toy). Nevalyashka attracts the outside world into itself, the geometry of its surfaces is adapted to it - from bulges to funnels. But, with any movement, the moment of reflection is already triggered in the repulsion mode: the external is refracted, flows out of the polished surface and falls out of it. At the same time, the independence of the form is emphasized: elastic, capable of defending itself. - A.D. Borovsky.

This captivating sculpture, with a resolutely contemporary design, is a masterpiece of simplicity and elegance. Made of polished stainless steel, it is composed of several perfectly smooth and shiny spheres, assembled in a balanced and fluid composition. The reflective spheres capture and reflect light, creating a fascinating play of reflections and perspectives that change depending on the viewing angle. The use of stainless steel brings a futuristic and timeless dimension to the work, highlighting the purity of the geometric shapes. The metallic surface, with an impeccable shine, gives an almost liquid appearance to the sculpture, as if it were in perpetual transformation. 

The choice of spheres, symbols of perfection and infinity, evokes notions of continuity and harmony. The work presents itself as both an exploration of form and a reflection on the interactions between the object and its environment. Each sphere, connected to the others with astonishing delicacy, seems suspended in space, defying the laws of gravity. This subtle play between stability and dynamism makes the sculpture particularly intriguing. It arouses both visual and intellectual fascination, inviting the viewer to contemplate the beauty of pure forms and to reflect on the relationships between matter, light and space. In short, this sculpture in polished stainless steel is a remarkable piece of art that seduces with its refined minimalism and impeccable execution. It invites a meditation on the perfection of simple forms and on the interaction between the work and its luminous environment.