Diana Machulina

Machulina Born in 1981. Lives in Moscow. Graduate of the Institute for Problems in Contemporary Art and the Surikov Institute. Contributed to special projects at the 1st Moscow Biennale (2005), and specia projects and the main program at the 2nd Moscow Biennale (2007).

In the series Green Light, Machulina seems at first to have merely depicted reality — a nocturnal cityscape. But strangely, although all the traffic lights are green, no one in this world can get very far. In this absence of limitations, the streets are abandoned and all traffic has stopped. What better way of showing that freedom should come from within? The Old New is an artistic farce, a play on words and a turn of the imagination. The Old New Year, based on the Julian calendar, is a purely Russian phenomenon that seemingly proves that Russians lead an existence different from that of anyone else. In a country where everyone celebrates a holiday that does not exist, it’s easy to confuse flypaper for streamers or ticker tape or even a finish line. A simple strip of flypaper suddenly acquires a metaphorical meaning, signifying our inability to accept what we wish for instead of the reality. The minor details that unquestionably alter the meaning of Machulina’s paintings serve to remind us of the insanity of the mundane.
Yulia Lebedeva

NY. 2007. Из проекта Зеленый свет. Холст, масло; NY. 2007. From the project Green Light. Oil on canvas

Париж. 2007. Из проекта Зеленый свет. Холст, масло; Paris. 2007. From the project Green Light. Oil on canvas

Где-то на земле. 2007. Из проекта Зеленый свет. Холст, масло; Somewhere. 2007. From the project Green Light. Oil on canvas

Рекорд. 2007. Из проекта Старый Новый. Холст, масло. 200х300; Record. 2007. From the project The Old New. Oil on canvas. 200 х 300 cm.

Открытие. 2007. Из проекта Старый Новый. Холст, масло. 200х300; Opening. 2007. From the project The Old New. Oil on canvas. 200 х 300 cm.

День рождения. 2007. Из проекта Старый Новый. Холст, масло. 280х280; Birthday. 2007. From the project The Old New. Oil on canvas. 280 х 280 cm.

Девочка. 2007. Из проекта Старый Новый. Холст, масло. 200х280; Girl. 2007. From the project The Old New. Oil on canvas. 200 х 280 cm.

День рождения. 2007. Из проекта Старый Новый. Холст, масло. 280х280; Birthday. 2007. From the project The Old New. Oil on canvas. 280 х 280 cm.