AES+F: Portrayals of a 'Global Paradise'

'...surreal scenes of multicultural figures...'-Agnies Zkamlicka

AES+F, Allegoria Sacra, Panorama #2

AES+F & the Silk Map

AES+F, a Moscow quartet of Titiana Arzamasova, Lev Evzovich, Evgeny Svyatky and Vladimir Fridkes, were asked to join the Padiglione Venezia’s Silk Map exhibition at the 55th Biennale di Venezia. The concept is to apply ‘soft art’ to represent the collaboration of East and West; which in itself reflects the historical uniqueness of the Venetian identity. Venice was an important commercial hub that linked Byzantine, Persia and the Middle East to Europe as a destination for trade. In the12th century the city’s textile production became a demand of Constantinople trade, altering the direction of the trade route for fabric production. Venice united from ancient times the two worlds bringing along with the ‘silk roads’ an exchange of religions, cultures, and technologies. AES+F, along with five other artists, were asked to present works that reflect and engage in ‘this tradition of knowledge, along the roads of the East, reinventing traditional materials and/or imagining free inventions, creating six exclusive works for the Pavilino and city.’(labiennale.org)

AES+F & the Sacred

Giovanni Bellini «Allegoria Sacra», (1490–1500), Galleria degli Uffizi

On a superficial level, the digital collage by AES&F’s Allegoria Sacra, Panorama #2 renders airport passengers as a Fellinian fantasy of surrealist reality. The location of the airport is a platform for diversity, a place where people randomly accumulate to only separate in their alternate directions. A place where people travel from city to city, country to country, and continent to continent, flying over mountains, deserts, oceans and valleys. East meets West embodying the stereotypes of historical and cultural references. There are elements of tradition, modernization, and globalization as the terminal represents the micro of the macro world. For all the diversities, co-habitation of multicultural passengers are equal in their temporary waiting for flight.

On a more critical level, the work was inspired by Giovanni Bellini’s Allegoria Sacra (Sacred Allegory) which now hangs in the Uffizi, Florence. The painting remains open to interpretation by art historians. One interpretation, which seems to be the most likely influence of AES+F, is that the work shows Purgatory. The souls of the virtuous, Christians and non, await their fate, anticipating the doors of heaven or hell. Bellini paints are mythological figures, Christian personages such as Apostle Paul (evidenced by his sword) and St Catherine (associated with her beauty and dress) a Muslim in traditional attire, children playing, a peasant with a mule, and others.

The Renaissance representation of the moment the world ends is transformed into an airport where passengers wait for their international flights. Individuals are united in a condition of travel from one world to another. This situation allows for people who would normally never meet to gather. The modern world is an accumulating of cultures and countries. The swords and animals are replaced by technical devices that are a part of the not visible but knowingly present coffee machines, duty-free shopping, etc. The mystical world of Bellini is transformed into a contemporary terrain.  

'...from the land of the Golden Billion..'-AES+F

AES+F & Transgression

AES+F, The Feast of Trimalchio, The Arrival of the Golden Boat

The Feat of Trimalchio seems to be a contemporary and technical twist to an illustration of classical setting in an oriental backdrop.; an atmosphere of luxury as people enjoy a day in the sun. The work of Gaius Petronius Arbiter, a poet during Nero’s reign, Cena Trimalchionis is the narrative to the contemporary digital collage. The story tells of Trimalchio’s, a slave turned nouveau riche philanthropist, famous feast that lasted several days. In fact, the diner is considered to be one of the best parties in literature. Essentially the moral of the Petronius story is to remind individuals of the short mortal life of man and the transgression of decadence as the wealthy seek a temporary paradise. The rich indulge, through money and obscenity, an immoral depiction of the heavens where the unworthy slaves serve their masters.

AES+F alter the context to a hotel setting where individuals pay to enter their brief adaptation of paradise. Like Thomas Couture’s Romans of Decadence (1847) painting of the same narrative, with a backdrop of ancient Rome, the party faces disorder as the served mix with the servers. The only evidence of difference is color of skin. The elite are white, dressed in white, served by the ‘others’. AES+F, also inspired by white, represents today’s wealthy ‘righteous of the Garden of Eden’ (AES+F) served by men and women in traditional dress. The values of the past serve the masters of capitalism and globalization. The servers and the served are not separated by the traditional racist divisions but by the conflicting conventional values. In a moment of indulgence, the two worlds combine in a discombobulated mess where some servers are being attended to by those in white, other detached traditionalists lay or sit and observe, several wealthy are too self-involved to be aware of their surroundings, and then those who are simply being served as by tradition.
  

The plastic-like digital collage is not just an interesting image of social-cultural criticism but based on am actual classical allegory which illustrates issues of the past present in modernity. Whether aware of Petronius poetry or Trimalchios’ lavish party, essentially the theme is cleverly understood. Both cultural stereotypes and traditional decorative elements are the artistic tools that distinguish the division that is evidently mixed in realizing a ‘Global Paradise’ (AES+F).

  

More About AES+F & the Padiglione Venezia
The official Biennale website: http://www.labiennale.org/en/art/exhibition/padiglione-venezia/
AES+F website: www.aesf.group.org 

Bibliography:
AES+F. ‘The Feast of Trimalchio’ in AES+F group (online). http://www.aesf-group.org/index.php?action=cats;cat_id=4;sub_cat_id=1 [last sited: 23:32 on 10/11/2013]

____ ‘Allegoria Sacra’ in AES+F group (online). http://www.aesf-group.org/index.php?action=cats;cat_id=22;sub_cat_id=1 [last sited: 23:35 on 10/11/2013]

Berrein, F. Kenneth. ‘Stereotype Similarities and Contrasts’ in The Journal of Social Psychology. Aug.1, 1969, Vol.78, No.2. Periodical Archives online. Pp. 173-183

Cantwell, Robert. ‘On Stereotype’ in New England Review. Winter 1990. Vol 13. No.2. Periodical Archive Online. Pp. 53-78

Field, Suzette. ‘The 10 Best Parties in Literature: Trimalchi’s Dinner Party from the ‘Satyricon’ in Huffignton Post (online). http://www.huffingtonpost.com/suzette-field/the-best-parties-in-liter_b_4115471.html [last sited: 23:38 on 10/11/2013]

Fishman, Joshua. ‘An Examination of the Process and Function of Social Stereotyping’ in A Journal of Social Psychology. Feb.1, 1956. Vol 43. No.1. Periodicals Archive Online. Pp. 27-64

‘Trimalchio’ in Princeton Education (online). http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Trimalchio.html [last sited: 23:37 on 10/11/2013]