Elena Gubanova, Ivan Govorkov (Russia)
Dialogue

Multimedia object, 2018
Supported by CYLAND MediaArtLab

The Man usurps functions of the Creator. The Man creates the Machine. Then the Machine usurps functions of the Man, creates the Machine on its own and starts interacting with the Machine. This is our future.

Nevertheless, the artist reserves the right to imagine that the dialogue between the creator and the subject of creation remains the same. Gestures of the robotized hands perform the very same emotional dialogue that could have transpired between the Creator and the Man if we are to animate Michelangelo's fresco "The Creation of Adam". Menace, despair or humility: the creator robot starts; the creator man responds. And everything is controlled from the same electrical outlet. That is to say, there is no difference: the creation menaces itself and forgives itself.

Elena Gubanova

Artist, curator. Born in 1960 in Ulyanovsk, USSR. Graduated from the Ilya Repin State Academic Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (Leningrad, USSR).
She is engaged in painting, sculpture, installations, and video. Recipient of Sergey Kuryokhin Award (Russia, 2012) in the category “Best Work of Visual Art” (together with Ivan Govorkov).
Her works were exhibited at major Russian and foreign venues, including the Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg, Russia), Russian Museum (St. Petersburg, Russia), Museum of Moscow (Moscow, Russia), Chelsea Art Museum (New York, USA), Kunstquartier Bethanien (Berlin, Germany). Participant of the Manifesta 10 Biennale Parallel Program (St. Petersburg, Russia, 2014) and several exhibitions parallel to Venice Biennale (Italy, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017).
Since 1990, she has been working in collaboration with Ivan Govorkov. Lives and works in St. Petersburg, Russia.

http://elenagubanova.com

Ivan Govorkov

Artist. Born in 1949 in Leningrad, USSR. Graduated from the Ilya Repin State Academic Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (Leningrad, USSR).
He is engaged in philosophy, psychology, painting, drawing, sculpture and installations. Professor of drawing at the Ilya Repin Institute.
Recipient of Sergey Kuryokhin Award (Russia, 2012) in the category “Best Work of Visual Art” (together with Elena Gubanova). His works were exhibited at major Russian and foreign venues, including the Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg, Russia), Russian Museum (St. Petersburg, Russia), Museum of Moscow (Moscow, Russia), Chelsea Art Museum (New York, USA), Kunstquartier Bethanien (Berlin, Germany), Sky Gallery 2 (Tokyo, Japan).
Participant of the Manifesta 10 Biennale Parallel Program (St. Petersburg, Russia, 2014) and several exhibitions parallel to Venice Biennale (Italy, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017).
Since 1990, he has been working in collaboration with Elena Gubanova. Lives and works in St. Petersburg, Russia.