The inhabited sculptures
From the project "Archivation of the posthuman compost" 2020
From the project "Archivation of the posthuman compost" 2020
Bird's house 3, 2020
Russian artist Dmitry Kawarga has created post-apocalyptic bird houses for his future sculpture park.
In times of fear and uncertainty, Dmitry Kawarga is seeking solace in nature. His two new 3D-printed sculptures were conceived as houses for birds. Each artwork, when installed on a tree, can host three bird families. Both objects will find their permanent home in a sculpture park, which the artist is building in Gonginichi, a tiny village lost in the woods 350 kilometers from St. Petersburg. Kawarga plans to fill it with biomorphic objects that will serve as dwelling sites for wild animals, birds and insects. Over the years, these sculptures will be overgrown with moss and will gradually merge into their natural environment. Even now, his ‘Bird house 1’, with its complex abstract curves, can be mistaken for a natural knot on a tree trunk. ‘Bird house 2’ might remind of a mushroom family from a distance, but shows its eerie side on closer inspection. Its surface teems with human heads looking inquisitively down at the viewer. Can it be a hint that mankind is but a morbid swelling on the face of the Earth or is it rather a call for reconciliation with Mother Nature?
Text: Ekaterina Wagner
In times of fear and uncertainty, Dmitry Kawarga is seeking solace in nature. His two new 3D-printed sculptures were conceived as houses for birds. Each artwork, when installed on a tree, can host three bird families. Both objects will find their permanent home in a sculpture park, which the artist is building in Gonginichi, a tiny village lost in the woods 350 kilometers from St. Petersburg. Kawarga plans to fill it with biomorphic objects that will serve as dwelling sites for wild animals, birds and insects. Over the years, these sculptures will be overgrown with moss and will gradually merge into their natural environment. Even now, his ‘Bird house 1’, with its complex abstract curves, can be mistaken for a natural knot on a tree trunk. ‘Bird house 2’ might remind of a mushroom family from a distance, but shows its eerie side on closer inspection. Its surface teems with human heads looking inquisitively down at the viewer. Can it be a hint that mankind is but a morbid swelling on the face of the Earth or is it rather a call for reconciliation with Mother Nature?
Text: Ekaterina Wagner
Bird's house 2, 2020
Bird's house 1, 2020
Parazitarium, 2024
The inhabited sculptures 2013-2018
The inhabited sculpture 1
There is always a certain amount of so-called animals-parasites, which is inherent to any town. Usually, pigeons, sparrows, crows, ducks, seagulls, mice, rats, and definitely homeless dogs and cats are considered to be this sort of animals.
These creatures in aggregate are a residual biological spasm dissolved in a synthetic post-industrial reality of megalopolises. Their role is undefined and arbitrary, so is the citizens’ attitude to them. Some fulfil their sadistic predilection and declare themselves sweepers scattering poison around the places where these animals live. Others, on the contrary, are full of mercy and compassion. As a rule, government reluctantly performs its punitive function and, striving to be on the safe side, creates conditions for complete disappearance of any useless animals. However, urban animals do stay alive oddly clutching at the urban reality. Indeed, they are of no tangible benefit to the town and thus somehow related to another useless phenomenon – spontaneous street art. Just in the same way all these graffiti, peculiar objects made of rubbish and snowmen tend to occupy all the spots where they are likely to reside.
These creatures in aggregate are a residual biological spasm dissolved in a synthetic post-industrial reality of megalopolises. Their role is undefined and arbitrary, so is the citizens’ attitude to them. Some fulfil their sadistic predilection and declare themselves sweepers scattering poison around the places where these animals live. Others, on the contrary, are full of mercy and compassion. As a rule, government reluctantly performs its punitive function and, striving to be on the safe side, creates conditions for complete disappearance of any useless animals. However, urban animals do stay alive oddly clutching at the urban reality. Indeed, they are of no tangible benefit to the town and thus somehow related to another useless phenomenon – spontaneous street art. Just in the same way all these graffiti, peculiar objects made of rubbish and snowmen tend to occupy all the spots where they are likely to reside.
The inhabited sculpture 1
In the Moscow Skolkovo Park 2014
The inhabited sculpture 1
Park at the hotel "Chateau Gutch", Lucerne, Switzerland
Thus, one could talk of the certain homelessness of these two spontaneous phenomena, which are standing out of the general rational order. Why not to make an attempt to combine them officially and to get something new?
What if we build up special arks – city sculptures inhabited by homeless animals... These might be bizarre biomorphic objects anchored to the roofs of the buildings or installed in the parks and squares, depending on the physiology of its potential dwellers.
What if we build up special arks – city sculptures inhabited by homeless animals... These might be bizarre biomorphic objects anchored to the roofs of the buildings or installed in the parks and squares, depending on the physiology of its potential dwellers.
Social man has created a rational geometric world, but in the 21st century it is perfectly appropriate to abandon excessive despotism, creating not square dovecotes and not rectangular kennels. On the one hand, such pieces of art would bring a therapeutic visual alternative diluting city landscapes with natural forms. At the same time, they would become centres for culture and leisure for the citizens and will initiate a rare opportunity to communicate with living inhuman beings...
One could seat on a bench in the park next to the sculpture-ark, have a sandwich and feed the dwellers of the shelter. Of course, installation of such objects should be initiated by the government as well as its further maintenance. After the installation of sculptures in the city environment, cleaning, repair, video surveillance, illumination and all the concurrent services should be provided. The idea is that all objects should be maintained by the city government. Reasonable is the question whether homeless animals would want to inhabit these objects. If they do not, people would encourage them and look forward to see their appearance...
Kawarga
One could seat on a bench in the park next to the sculpture-ark, have a sandwich and feed the dwellers of the shelter. Of course, installation of such objects should be initiated by the government as well as its further maintenance. After the installation of sculptures in the city environment, cleaning, repair, video surveillance, illumination and all the concurrent services should be provided. The idea is that all objects should be maintained by the city government. Reasonable is the question whether homeless animals would want to inhabit these objects. If they do not, people would encourage them and look forward to see their appearance...
Kawarga
The inhabited sculpture 4, 2018
KawargaHall's yard
KawargaHall's yard
The inhabited sculpture 3, 2018
KawargaHall's roof
KawargaHall's roof
The inhabited sculpture 2, 2017
In collection Sergey Kuryokhin Museum
In collection Sergey Kuryokhin Museum
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