Exhibition Information

Twins 2
2016 Image Courtesy of Art-angle

Untitled-1
2018

Mosaic
2016

Hide SWIMMING POOL
2016

			A space of straight lines, clear water, warm sunlight entering large windows, models in colorful swimsuits and pastelton colors that gently enclose all elements of the screen. This is the swimming pool of Maria Svarvova, the winner of the 2018 Hot Cellblad Master Art section. The author invites us to a screen that consists of perfect composition, symmetry of the golden ratio and the placement of objects that seem to have the presence's authenticity as if they were created for the work.

Starting in 2014, for the current ongoing project, the Swimming Pool series, the author traveled all over Slovakia to find 13 swimming pools created in the 1930s, making them his own space. In the atmosphere of emphasizing collective life against the backdrop of socialism at that time, swimming was a leisure life of the masses who could pursue health and enjoy individual freedom among collective labor. Nevertheless, Slovakia's swimming pool, where the rigid social atmosphere has melted, somehow evokes a strange and strange sense of tension. The typography, which imposes behavioral restrictions on clocks, sterile white tiles, Zakaz skakat, "Forbidden diets" and "No Inflatable toys," is a testament to the artist's lingering legacy of collective activism even in swimming pools that have been regarded as a product of modern culture.

Just as visualizing the warning statements, the models on the screen stand regularly along the straight lines of the pool and pose in a manual manner. The figure of the movement and healthy and beautiful proportions, to which the place is suspected, feels like a piece of plaster from the Greek era. The same costume, pose and expressionless face, which seems to have no emotional interaction at all despite being assembled in a group, resemble mechanical gymnastics activities as if they were reminiscent of mass games. These are remnants of memories of the socialist communist country, Czechoslovakia, where she spent her childhood. The national sports event, called "Spartakiada" once every five years, featured a variety of sports, including gymnastics and swimming, especially when it emphasized graceful movements. The accuracy of the movements and difficult poses were seen as being further maximized by tight uniforms, the irony of obsessive perfection, which is built on a flexible elegance, is the prevailing atmosphere in the work.

This is characteristically reflected in the costumes of the models. The author chose carefully from the antics market in collaboration with a team of costume designers to find vintage costumes that could reproduce the sensibilities of the time. Colorful swimsuits and swim caps contrast with the white skin and accentuate the curves of the body. The existence of a model that represents curves within a straight space transforms a place that can only be a past building that has lost its function into a living space. In addition, the warm sunshine that enters the green plants and windows gives the screen a condensed time. As the author mentioned, "Space without a human being means nothing to me," the characters in the images are an object that makes up the screen, an important element that reflects his intention to balance the relationship between man and space. As sub-series of the swimming pool series, "Origins," reminiscent of collective gymnastics, and "The Tribune," filmed against the backdrop of spectators' seats at Strahove Stadium, which can accommodate up to 240,000 people, are important motifs for writers.

Even though it's a complete image of such perfectly set spaces and sculptures, it's not a dry, cold feeling, but a 'pretty' exclamation at first sight, probably because of the color she created through the lens. Overall, the intense contrast between pastelton's bright colors, natural sunlight-drenched blue water and objects is realized in a contemporary image with a minimal yet surreal atmosphere. Added to this the sensibility of retro, which only old buildings can give, and creating a universal beautiful scene that runs through the times. Enchanted with this beauty, the author actively leads us into the screen. Like the phrase, "I hope the empty space will be filled with the meaningful feelings of each person," the author wishes to accept the invitation as the last piece to complete the work, not just as a passive audience. So, are we ready to stand in front of the image and break the stillness of the blue water with full emotion and deep clapping? 
The exhibition is Maria Sbarbova's first individual exhibition in Korea, which will be showcased at Lotte Gallery's Jamsil branch from May 31 to June 30, and will continue at Lotte Gallery's Incheon terminal branch from Aug. 2 to Aug. 25. 
■ Lotte Gallery