Giudecca 795

Russian sculptor and designer, she is known for her "sculptural necklaces" made in plastic, glass and semi-precious stones. Tatyana Zhurkov's art is held in museums and private collections, including the Hemitage Museum, the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, the Smithsonian Institute di Washington; among awards, Pollock Foundation's (2001) Tatyana Zhurkov’s sculptural assemblages are the most engaging beings you are ever likely to encounter. These anthropomorphic creatures with their ceramic faces, hands, breasts and elaborate plastic headdresses are artfully constructed from porcelain bottle stoppers, plastic tubes, beads, rings and bracelets. At first glance, these creatures appear playful and toy-like with their highly colored plastic parts. Their bearing and presence, however, demand further examination, revealing their elegant and sophisticated structure. The use of white porcelain bottle stoppers references European porcelain traditions, contrasted against 20th century clear acrylics and colorful plastics, symbolic of modernity. The use of transparent and opaque materials with sharp edges and bold curves sets up a vital tension within these creatures. They are otherworldly, yet faintly recognizable as caterpillars, trains, fish and insects, for example. Tatyana Zhurkov’s sculptures work on many levels; they are at once playful and provocative, dark and sensuous. In short, a complete artistic experience.