Tsykalov Dimitri

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).

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.

Dmitry Tsykalov was born in 1963 in Moscow, graduated from the Faculty of Graphics of the Moscow Polygraphic Institute. Since 1991, he has been living and working in Paris. In the 80s, Tsykalov's first works made of wood made a narrow circle of experts in the Moscow underground talk about him. However, even then, an alienation zone appeared between him and the actively developing metropolitan art scene. At a time when the triumphal march of Moscow romantic conceptualism began in the capital and European halls, ignoring plastic values, Tsykalov worked hard on the quality and formal clarity of his wooden products. The saw and hammer in his hands are as familiar as a brush, and he is masterly at using them.

The marquetry inlay technique is used in the project. The objects are cut from thin sheets of wood of different types, torn and then assembled together.

Ragged fault edges and wood splinters were used to create the objects. The delicate ornaments are made up of different types of wood veneer. Picturesque miniatures painted in oil or tempera on primed wood, combined with torn edges and splinters, acquire the function of totems that should protect a person from chaos. 

Bogdan Mamonov