The veteran Russian artist Erik Bulatov, who is known for his monumental paintings that draw on Soviet propaganda, has produced a series of sculptures for the first time. The works are on show in a former munitions factory in south-western France (by appointment).
One of the works, a circular piece more than 18 metres wide, comprises a series of Cyrillic letters made from black steel that spell out and repeat the word “forward”.
The vast sculptures were produced in the local area over the past year with the backing of a/political, a London-based non-profit organisation that collaborates with “socio-political” artists. Both sculptures are on show at The Foundry in Maubourguet, a space run by the organisation.
Bulatov, 83, said in an interview with the curator Hans Ulrich-Obrist that he was inspired by the architecture: “The [3,500 sq. m] building makes an impression that is very similar to what is going on now in Europe and Russia. It is a feeling of unrest, of danger. It is like something that has been abandoned, that existed before this moment and is now completely falling apart in front of our eyes.”
The sculptures will tour, says Becky Haghpanah-Shirwan, the director of a/political, though she declined to comment further on where they will go. “We will be moving the sculptures as next year is the centenary of the Russian revolution. These new works function as a portrait of the contemporary so it will be remarkable to see them in this historical context,” she says.
The Bulatov presentation also includes four canvases, including the artist’s largest painting to date, a series of preparatory sketches and maquettes.
Earlier this year, a/political produced a controversial new series of photographs by Andres Serrano entitled Torture. The images, on show at the Collection Lambert in Avignon (until 25 September), feature more than 40 volunteers being degraded and shackled, with the US artist assuming the role of torturer.
