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Viktors Svikis | galerie michaela stock
Viktors Svikis
PROJECT PEGASUS
23.10. – 16.11.2024
Opening: 23.10, 7 – 9 pm
The artist is present
Where: galerie michaela stock, Praterstraße 17, 1020 Vienna, Austria
The latest exhibition by emerging Latvian painter Viktors Svikis explores the complex layers of the human psyche. Titled Project Pegasus, Svikis presents a series of new oil paintings that focus on internal conflicts and the search for identity.
Pegasus, a symbol of inspiration and overcoming challenges, serves as the foundation for a philosophical reflection on the dynamics of emotions, fears, and the quest for self-understanding. Svikis draws on a wide range of psychological concepts, examining how inner contradictions and the pursuit of harmony shape human existence.
The color palettes and compositions in his works are both intentional and challenging. They capture the tensions and ambiguities within each individual. Dark tones, representing the shadowy aspects of human life, are contrasted with bright, piercing colors that symbolize hope and transcendence. This dual approach to form and color creates a visual language that encourages reflection while also stirring an emotional response.
Read moreA central piece in the exhibition is a large painting of a horse with faintly sketched wings, symbolizing the dream of escape and the magic of defying gravity—a tool for freedom and flight. The barely outlined wings represent untapped potential and creative longing. Alongside this is a smaller painting that depicts a fragment of the larger work, raising questions about details versus the whole: How do these fragments influence our understanding of ourselves and the world?
Another artwork portrays a young man smoking a cigarette. The neon phrase “Sweet Memories” on a dark wall evokes nostalgia, reminiscent of the first childhood prohibitions from adults forbidding smoking—a symbol of early limitations on freedom. This piece touches on both the “bittersweet memories” of youth and the early rebellion against restrictions.
Project Pegasus transforms into an interactive space where memory, identity, and inner struggles take center stage. Here, art becomes a medium for engagement, challenging not only perception but also the search for a deeper understanding of the self.
Viktors Svikis
What is particularly striking about Svikis’ work is that his style – compared to that of other contemporary artists – is not or hardly ever fractured by theoretical or conceptual approaches. He is most interested in his material: charcoal, paper, canvas, oil paints but also the strength, power and – at times – violence that influence everyday life and its extremity seem to be his central thoughts.
Exhibition Views
Ausstellungsansicht, 2024, @galerie michaela stock
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Courtesy: Viktors Svikis / gallery michaela stock
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