Untitled 

Curator: This "Untitled" mixed-media sculpture is by Ilya Isupov, whose work often incorporates elements of kitsch and figuration, occasionally flirting with erotic themes. Editor: It has a rather unsettling and surreal feel, almost dreamlike. The juxtaposition of these figures immediately throws me off. Curator: I'm drawn to the surface quality and construction of this sculpture. Consider the contrasting textures – the fuzzy, bear-like quality against the smoother, almost porcelain-like skin of the human figure. There’s a push-and-pull relationship between materials, lending tension to the composition. Editor: It feels rife with narrative potential, despite its lack of explicit storytelling. A sash identifies the fair-skinned figure as "ВЫПУСК," or graduation, so we might read her in a satirical light as symbolizing hopes or aspirations of future achievements. But juxtaposed with the bear and the overt sexuality of the image, this "beauty queen" narrative could signify the co-optation of human aspirations for vulgar purposes, perhaps critiquing post-Soviet era capitalism? Curator: I would not go so far. The erotic elements can be taken for face value. It presents itself visually as it should, where shape and composition suggest how we perceive the work and process those responses into cognitive meaning-making. We respond, for instance, to color – red against tan creates dissonance within its figuration which ultimately makes the work what it is. Editor: I suppose it boils down to intention: whether Isupov seeks shock value for its own sake or has other thematic goals, and whether such intention translates via the sculpture. This dissonance, as you call it, contributes to a reading that isn’t simple: its vulgarity evokes an anxious, deeply self-critical sensibility. Curator: A reading based on intention is problematic—it reduces the impact of pure formalism. One may not need external theory to view its form and medium which speaks of its beauty alone. Editor: Fair enough, but for those inclined to read beyond form, this piece invites plenty of contemporary interpretations that sit outside formal engagement. The relationship between figures alone feels suggestive of so much! Curator: A striking creation, whichever angle you choose. Editor: Indeed. It’s unforgettable in its oddity and unsettling allure.