'Genius loci'

№1871

In the series of works 'No. 1871', Sofia Karnukaeva continues to explore the theme of the influence of objects and places on the fantasies and images that form in the human imagination. The series of geometric objects No. 1871 is based on the aesthetics of Soviet modernist architecture and takes its name from Resolution No. 1871 of 1955 "On Eliminating Excesses in Design and Construction", which initiated the development of modernism and a return to the traditions of the Russian avant-garde in the mid-20th century. In this series of works, the artist transmits reworked images of Soviet modernism. Sofia is interested in how the sharp change in the political agenda affected all spheres of life and froze in architectural images. Artists and architects of this period rediscovered the heritage of the avant-garde, which had been hidden from them for a quarter of a century. Many decisions were rediscovered by them anew.
Mosaic became the main focus of artistic dialogue for Sofia, as it adorned the buildings of Soviet modernism both externally and internally. It allowed artists and architects of Soviet period to move away from impersonality and greyness, which was practically inevitable in conditions of rigid typification. Moreover, it became almost the only element that did not undergo ideological scrutiny, so it was allowed to be different, including abstract, which ultimately allowed modernist art to emerge in the city.