Tsykalov Dimitri

Dmitry Tsykalov (was born in 1963 in Moscow) graduated from the Drawing department at the Moscow Polygraphic Institute. Tsykalov has been based in Paris since 1991.

In the 80's, Tsykalov's first pieces with wood drew the attention of a narrow circle of specialists in the Moscow underground. But even back then, a line seemed to be drawn between him and the capital's emerging art scene. At a time when Moscow romantic conceptualism has begun its triumphal march through exhibition halls of both the capital and Europe, ignoring traditional sculptural values, Tsykalov stubbornly labored over the quality and technical definition of his 'woodwork'. A saw and a hammer are as natural as a brush to his hands, and he wields them with the mastery of a virtuoso. (Bogdan Mamonov)

The Dmitry Tsykalov exhibition at the Marina Gisich Gallery starts with large wooden pieces from new series still in progress, Skins and Maps. The objects are made out of military boxes that once stored weapons. The boxes were collected from all over the world — Germany, France, England, Russia, America, China, etc. — and they are marked with calibers, TNT compounds, and the chemical composition of explosives in all these different alphabets. Dmitry Tsykalov 'carves up' the boxes and reassembles them to create impressive hunting trophies: bears, lions, panthers and tigers. At first glance, they seem to be a simple homage to Schwitters' sculptural collages, referencing his wellknown mosaic repertoire of Dadaist Merzbau forms. However, it soon becomes obvious that their status as 'art' is just bait. The drawings on the skins are naturally a realistic tribute to the remains of real animals, but they also function as camouflage for the art object. (Jean-Yves Jouannais)

Like a counterpoint to a powerful preamble, the second part of the exhibition is almost intimate in its shape and content, modeled after a fashion boutique where you can find shirts, ties and underwear. Here, among other things, works from the Lingerie series will be displayed. Underwear — lingerie — is an object to cover our Biblical nakedness, a metaphor for delicacy and tenderness, that turns into an instrument of torture, an object both sacred and damned. The project uses a marquetry inlay technique. The objects are cut from thin sheets of different wood veneers, torn, and then pieced together.

Torn edges, cracks, and wood splinters are used for creating the objects. Subtle patterns are formed out of different stocks of wood veneer. Miniatures with erotic scenes from classical paintings, combined with torn edges and splinters, function as totems that should protect a person from chaos and atthe same time pave the way for his destructive ecstasy, the artist explains.

The Dmitry Tsykalov retrospective exhibition at the Marina Gisich Gallery will show works that span the past 30 years. Although he has a rich biography of exhibits in France, Dmitry Tsykalov has been under-represented in Russia until now. Brave Wooden World is the artist's first personal exhibition in St. Petersburg.

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Awards

2007

• "In-situ", LAC, Ile de la Réunion

2003

• Artist’s Work Programme, IMMA, Dublin, Ireland

1999

• "In-situ", LAC, Ile de la Réunion

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Primary solo exhibitions

2018

• "Oh Wonderful Wooden World", Triumph Gallery, Moscow, Russia

2017

• "Brave Wooden World", Marina Gisich Gallery, St. Petersburg, Russia

2015

• "Skin", Galerie Rabouan Moussion, Paris, France

2010

• "Garden Rolls", Esplanade de la Défense, Paris, France

2009

• "Money", Galerie Rabouan Moussion, Paris, France

2008

• "Meat", Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Paris, France
• "Dental Surgery", Galerie Dragon, Paris, France

2007

• "In-situ", LAC, Ile de la Réunion

2005

• "National Health", Niland and Model Art Gallery, Sligo, Ireland

2004

• "Plantation à la carte", Fondation Solomon de Rothschild, Paris, France

2003

• "Shed", Process Room, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, Ireland

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Public exhibitions

2019

• "The Figure of an Animal", St. Peter's Abbey Andrew, Center for Contemporary Art, Memac, France

2018

• Mad House, Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow, Russia Art Miami, Marina Gisich Gallery booth, Miami, USA Cosmoscow, Marina Gisich Gallery booth, Moscow, Russia

2017

• Marina Gisich Gallery, Miami, USA "Eat me" stand, Trapholt Museum, Kolding, Denmark Art Paris, Rabouan Mousson Gallery, Grand Palais, Paris, France

2016

• Safari, Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, Paris, France.

2013

• Hybrid, SMAC, Douai, France.
• "Vanity", Publicis Modem, Paris, France.
• "Group Show", Galerie Rabouan Mousion, Paris, France.

2012

• "Bearskin", Galerie Rabouan Mousion, Paris, France.
• "Limitless bodies", Palais d'Iéna, Paris, France.
• "Russian Turbulence", Charles Riva collection, Brussels, Belgium.

2011

• "Bêtes Off", La Conciergerie, Paris, France.
• "Hungry Eyes", Foto Museum Provincie Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.

2010

• "Un art au superlatif", Abbaye St André - Centre d'art contemporain, Memak, France.
• — "C'est la vie! Vanité, de Pompéi à Damien Hirst", Musée Maillol, Paris, France.

2009

• "Alive or dead", Fondation Francès, Senlis, France.

2005

• "L'art dans la ville", Artsenat, Luxembourg Gardens, Paris, France

2003

• "Private and Public Stories: Selected Works from the EMMA Collection", Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, Ireland.

1999

• "L'Arbre dans l'art", National Library, Lille, France.

1991

• "The Woman finally", Exhibition Air Inter 1991, Jacobins Museum, Toulouse et Musée du Luxembourg, Paris, France.

1990

• "5+1 group exhibition, Alte Kloster Gallery, Brandenburg, Germany
• "5+1 Group exhibition, Bruderkirche, Kassel, Germany

1989

• "Presentation of the 5+1 group, Central House of Artists, Moscow, Russia.
• — Hermitage in Holland, Association Circ, Amsterdam, Antwrepen, Holland, Belgium.
• "Modern Soviet artists", Studio Marconi, Milan, Italy.
• "Apostille 2", Gallery Mars, Moscow, USSR.

1987

• HERMITAGE Group, A retrospective exhibition of Moscow artists from Belyaevo 1957-1988, Moscow, USSR.

1984

• "The second exhibition of all Soviet drawings", Central House of Artists, Moscow, Russia.

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Collections

• Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Paris, France
• Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, Ireland Maison Européenne de la Photographie
• Fondation Francès, Senlis, France
• Caldic Collectie, Wassenaar, Holland
• Fondation Raja, France

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Education

• Graduated from the Moscow Polygraphic Institute (Graphics Department)

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