Electroboutique (Aristarkh Chernyshev, Alexei Shulgin). Big Talking Cross. Interactive Cargo Cult Totem. 2011. Software, computer, sensor Kinect, plastic, metal, liquid crystal monitors, sound system. From the artists’ collection
Electroboutique (Aristarkh Chernyshev). Big Knode. Info sculpture. 2012. LED, control unit, internet, plastic. From the artists’ collection
Electroboutique (Aristarkh Chernyshev, Alexei Shulgin), Sergey Kasich. Voice of Freedom. 2012. Sound and visual installation, performance Software, found video, computer, MIDI-keyboard, plastic. From the artists’ collection. Supported by the Partisan Museum of Contemporary Art
Electroboutique (Aristarkh Chernyshev, Alexei Shulgin). Big Green Head. Interactive Cargo Cult Totem. 2011. Software, computer, sensor Kinect , fiberglass, liquid crystal monitors, sound system. From the artists’ collection
Electroboutique (Aristarkh Chernyshev, Alexei Shulgin). 3G International. Light sculpture. 2010. Fiberglass, LED, control unit, duratrans. From the artists’ collection
exhibition is over
In its seven-year lifespan the Electroboutique art collective has traversed the long creative path from entertaining video gadgets to large-scale artworks of museum quality. We greeted 2012 at the height of our creative powers, with a large number of implemented projects, and an even larger number of unimplemented ideas.
Electroboutique is officially changing its status: we are making the transformation from an art collective to a foundation in support of contemporary art.
What does it mean?
We believe that the old models for interaction between the artist and society are losing their actuality in the modern world — new methods are required, based on different modes of communication, different social and economic principles.
Institutions such as museums, foundations and art centres are actively moving to the forefront of artistic life. In many ways these art institutions are now defining the vectors for development of contemporary art. Material, authoritative and creative resources are concentrated under their roof. In parallel, the function of artists is altering, too. As their numbers constantly grow, increasingly they are used only as a resource for institutions, as the supplier of artistic content. This resource is progressively homogenising the quality and character of the finished product, and hence the level of interchange between artists is growing, without any loss to institutional expression.
In the given situation we have decided to optimize our activity. We are changing our status and rebranding, becoming an institution ourselves. We believe that in this capacity our work will be more effective. We are establishing a foundation to support the art that we consider relevant to the present day: communicative, large-scale, technological art that is socially and politically focused. Right now we are actively working on the concept and statutes of the new foundation.
But meanwhile —
Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to ex-art group Electroboutique’s farewell exhibition. We present our hits from the last few years, including some never before seen in Moscow. Hurry, come and see! This is the Requiem of Electroboutique!
Aristarkh Chernyshev and Alexei Shulgin. Moscow, August 2012