Date & Location
Kyiv, Ukraine, 2017–2018
Kyiv, Ukraine, 2017–2018
Photo documentation of the process of creating the five figures from the series «Carpe Diem» from epoxy resin and with different metaphorical objects inside.
The first half of 2017 year became the beginning of Maria Kulikovska's cooperation with Oleh Vinnichenko, and the result of their first common work was the full-sized sculpture-cast of Kulikovska's body – «My Second Xena. Rebirth». Since then, MKOV Studio has made all sculptures together, experimenting with materials and constructions.
«Carpe Diem» is a series of five life-sized figures of Maria Kulikovska's body cast from epoxy resin. All sculptures from the series are independent artworks. They were created with the addition of various symbolic materials: flowers, chains, feathers, seashells, keys, and bones.
In this sculpture series, the artist continues to criticize the patriarchal constructs of government and society. The main instrument, material and method of Kulikovska is her own body. The series «Carpe Diem» is also a conceptual long-term experiment of the artist with the vanitas motif, which defines human life as something unprotected and ephemeral. In the vanitas tradition, the symbolic elements were flowers, especially roses, which are a sign of fall, carnal love, lust and sexual act. However, in this sculptural series, Maria Kulikovska places all these full symbolism objects under the skin of «own» sculptural body.
During 2018, the performative sculptures from the series «Carpe Diem» were exhibited at various exhibitions and events, among «Permanent Revolution - Ukrainian Art Today», which was the exhibition of contemporary Ukrainian art at the Ludwig Museum in Budapest; «Ukraine in Fashion», which was opened on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of Vogue UA. Since February 2021, the figure 1/5 and figure 3/5 have been in the private collection of Natalia Lysenko in the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.
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