Belkina, Dóka, Wakultschik: Portraits and Storytelling

Faur Zsófi Gallery, Budapest

April 10–April 26, 2019

The exhibition ‘Portraits and storytelling’ showcases works of Katerina Belkina (RU), Béla Dóka (HUN) and Maxim Wakultschik (BY), juxtaposing their seemingly contrasting series. The images in the show are linked by their subject matter only: they are all portraits, though they could differ more in their subject matter, environment, and ways of storytelling. Yet through the different setting, characters and atmospheres of the images, all three artists use portraiture as a tool to reflect on certain social phenomena and tell the stories that are defining the 21st century. From urban living through the rise of nationalism and political fanaticism to the merging of real life into the digital space, these are the stories that challenge our times. 

In her series entitled Empty Spaces, ’Katerina Belkina creates a unique atmosphere by capturing the metropolis of Moscow as a sterile, dehumanized environment boasting more skyscrapers than dwellers. The city looks dirty, with chimneys emitting smoke and buildings casting away the last bits of nature, yet the main character of the photographs – Belkina herself – seems ethereal. The artist uses her body and face as primary tools to create the images, yet not in the sense of a traditional self-portrait: instead of looking at the artist herself, we see a universal persona embodying the humans of the urban environment. In the image entitled Concerning, her character gazes directly at the viewer, with her face glowing in the darkness and her hands held up graciously, resembling a Russian icon. In Fly! she levitates over the city in an unearthly position. These images are dominated by the connection/conflict between the city and the individual, yet they cannot triumph over each other. The main question of Katerina’s photographs is how humans as spiritual beings, can find balance in the material world. These images are full of art historical and religious references, but the uniqueness of Empty Spaces lies in its sense of juxtaposing spirituality with loneliness and lack of belonging, contrasting the present and the past, as well as the personal with the universal. 

As opposed to contemplating the dehumanizing nature of the metropolis, in his series Putin FC Béla Dóka created very personal images of the youth in Moscow. We see young girls in their most intimate environment, lying on their beds, surrounded by posters and their personal belongings. Then, signs of fanaticism occur: next to the image of Jesus, a portrait of Putin hangs on the wall. He also appears on T-shirts, magazines, and even on Warholian silkscreen prints, seeming to be an omnipotent God overseeing all of the young girls’ lives. Indeed, the subjects of Dóka’s portraits are all members of the Putin Fan Club, with an average age of 18. These young girls idolize Putin for his professional life as a politician and his private life as a husband and sportsman. Dóka not only captured the members of Putin FC, but he also created a dialogue with these young people. One of the participants, Vika Matorina told Dóka the following: "Putin is the only one, he is the ideal! It had been the tsar before and now it's Putin, he is like God to me. I perceive him as daddy. He is a perfect man – politician, sportsman, family man! I want my husband to be like him. I want everyone to know that I'm his fan." In the series, Dóka goes well beyond documentarism: he not only captures a social phenomenon but has a deep understanding of his subjects and conveys their opinion and situation with great empathy. His approach gives the images a very intimate feel. The series speaks for itself, and Dóka leaves it to the viewer to judge what they see.

The images of Maxim Wakultschik simply pop out of the gallery walls: his portraits are created out of thousands of hand-painted wooden sticks, meticulously organized to form multicolor ‘sculpture-paintings.’ They almost operate as kinetic objects, compelling the viewer to move around and examine the surfaces from all angles. The images are part of a formal play with perspective, lights, and colors, yet there are many layers of interpretation behind the playful medium. Wakultschik’s subjects are idealized female faces, resembling the perfectly Photoshopped images dominating social media – the 21st century setting for Guy Debord’s "Society of the Spectacle." Indeed, Wakultschik’s female characters seem to levitate in cyberspace towards eternity. Then, could it be by accident that once the viewer tries to capture the portraits with a digital camera, the result seems like a pixelated photograph?

The exhibition is part of Budapest Art Week.

Opening performance by poet Réka Borda and actor Áron Dávid.

Curator: Veronika Molnár