How often do you see art that evokes a myriad of conflicting emotions? We recently had a chance to experience something like that. Fine Art Shippers visited Inverso Mundus: Chimeras, an extraordinary painting exhibition by AES+F at Sargent’s Daughters in New York. AES+F is an internationally acclaimed Russian artist collective creating art that provides tongue-in-cheek commentary on the current political climate in their home country and around the world. Continue reading to find out more about this bizarre but profound and thought-provoking exhibition.
The World-Renowned Russian Artist Collective AES+F Comes to New York
AES+F first found international recognition after exhibiting their collaborative project titled Inverso Mundus at the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015. As the name suggests, the new exhibition Inverso Mundus: Chimeras is a logical continuation of the project, represented by a series of illustrations showing a world where everything is “upside down.”
The collection of new paintings draws inspiration from 16th-century European literature and art, where exaggerated imagery was used to subvert expectations and poke fun at ridiculous situations. AES+F created a world where all pets are replaced by mythical creatures, and post-apocalyptic, lifeless cityscapes serve as the background for pompous portraits of people wearing fancy clothes. At the same time, the grotesque monsters symbolize the contradictions and hypocrisy people are often willing to overlook for the sake of a comfortable life.
AES+F was first formed in 1987 by Tatiana Arzamasova, Lev Evzovich, and Evgeny Svyatsky. Back then, it was just AES; +F was added to the name after Vladimir Fridkes had joined the group. Today, AES+F works in photography, video installation, sculpture, and painting. It is interesting that Inverso Mundus: Chimeras has become their first exhibition dedicated solely to paintings. The Russian artist collective is mainly known for its large-scale installations such as “Last Riot,” “The Feast of Trimalchio,” and “Allegoria Sacra.”
The work of AES+F has been shown at major institutions and art events globally, including the Venice Biennale, the Sydney Biennale, and the Gwangju Biennale, and featured in many prominent art collections and publications. In 2023, Rizzoli published a monograph documenting the last twenty-five years of the collective’s work.
In light of recent events such as the war in Ukraine (which AES+F has publicly spoken against) and Putin’s re-election, the message of Inverso Mundus: Chimeras holds more importance than ever. Fine Art Shippers highly recommends visiting this new art show at Sargent’s Daughters in New York until it is on view. It will close on June 1, 2024.