The Labyrinth...
the work of art. the wall. an installation. a sheet of paper. a sign. a sign ? is it really was a sign ??? let us see, let us look at this closer. is it really a sign ? yes ! the labyrinth of signs, ciphered space which needs three solutions. and a small boy — the artist — asked you like an old sphinx: “if you solve three riddles i’ll tell you my mystery, if not...” ynd you feel scared, you can’t stop nerving before that “if not”. suddenly your brain began to work, it boils, it press on the inner side of your scull, it is pulling out but transforms into the image, into the special key for understanding, in the essential part of the sign. now, very carefully we try to connect it with the sign. is it suitable, no ? yes ? oh, no !!! and intensive search again, at random your “ego” trails through the oil strokes of the knife, through the thicket of inslallations, through the marsh covered with papiruses traced in different signs, through mountains of dangerous stones — the elements of installations. at least it reaches a pure spring. at the bed of the spring you can see him, who asked you. is it really him ? “right answer !” — you heard and now continue your trip, stumbling over the threshold of the new riddle. your brain is boiling again, your “ratio” is trying to do something, you panically begin to form different and strange couples of words, associations, thoughts, but you have nothing from this, and suddenly... is it possible that the solution is so simple. the core of the solution is that there is no solution. “is it possible that ‘no’ is ‘yes’ when ‘yes’ is ‘no’ ?” and you hear your whisper “i don’t know”. a few minutes past but for your “ego” they seems eternal. the universe looked at this with the smile and thought “there is nothing eternal”. your shock pass slowly and you are going through the labyrinth again. you passed through the entrance, went a hell of distance, but still couldn’t find the exit. your unconsciousness is in silence, ready for something. ready for what ? your sequrity angel always ready, he helps you in difficult situation. but there is no difficulties in your situation, however it will be for sure. you’ll find it in the darkness and now felling of irrevocability overflows your mind. “ego” moves, with closed eyes it tries to reach incredible but can’t do this. “it’s to early.” — he answer from the spring. you can’t stop admiring the spring, though take a glimpse upstairs and suddenly run across the fenomenon called by italians “maesta”, majesty. the light concentrates things you want to see; it slowly, softly and gently runs by the surface in relief creating a feeling of other extraterrestial worlds where spirit and body, something high and something lower has no sence. there dominate only she — your difficult situation. “ego” feels an inner crack. everything in your soul pouring by disgusting liquid and then unconsciousness appears. somewhere you can hear magic casts, the devil voice of medicine-man, the roar of wolfs, the noise of divine forest, the yell of anima hitted by the divine light and the calm voice of your animus. with reverence you take second key and go upstairs. looking around you notice that it is more quiet and cleaner here. in the soul you have feeling like after the confession. you are looking around and see that the gate are closed now. there are no ashes and no disgusting liquid, your sequrity angel accomplish his duty and now waits for you. your “ego” is flying now, it is elated and free from the matter. at least it opened the divine, deep light. it is interesting that the deep light is situated on the peak of olympus. he is sitting there between the dyonis and apollon. “right answer !!!” — you can hear again. again you are trying to find the way. olympus behind you, darkness and fog in front of you. complete darness. you feel lack of orientation but not scared. you are clean now, because you just confessed. “ego” confessed him. “but there is exit !!!” — disappointedly cries you ratio. “and for what do we need this exit ?” — asked irratio. really, for what things do you need this exit ? you are now in situation where space and time, form and context, culture and history have no sense. there are nothing. no, thats not true, there is something. it’s hidden. you feel something, oh my god it’s inside of you ! this is a power of life, the spirit, first element, gnostic bythos in divine pleroma and it is waiting for its manifestation. suddenly you understand that only with you mind, body and spirit it’ll begin. after your left from the exhibition manifestation will start. and in some moment of your “n-wondering through the labyrinth” you’ll see the beginning — painting, wall, installation... “ego” brought paintings to life, they suddenly arised with their existence for you. there is “being-without-you” but not here, it is in the place there aren’t any concepts of “you-for-the work of art”. where is it ? oh yes !!! at the beginning. “right answer !” — you heard this noisy voice... the new project “labirynth” produced by vasyl bazhay continued project with the same title which was held in february 1998 in lviv art palace. clear connection between the installation, painting and performance always interested artist. these forms of art lightly touch the inner spere of our consciousness and unconsciousness. the dialogue between artistic form and human subconsciousness continued but in new form of expression. unlike former image of labirynth as the symbol of mystical power in works of art new problem attracts us — the problem of creator and demiurge. but former structural whollness of labirynth is the same. an audience afford to solve special test where they can find the interpretation of entrance, wondering through the labirynth and exit. in our case this process is very similar to creation. actually recipient produces works for himself. basing at marsel duchamp’s concept of “ready-made object” bazhay prepares special redy-mades and observes the process of creation. written by roman hankevycz.
