KIRILS PANTELEJEVS “I am Him”

The solo-show “I am Him” by Kirils Pantelejevs is dedicated to cross-cultural relations and different belief systems, traditions and lifestyles that are associated with them.

Conceptually the exposition is divided into two parts, where in the center of the “Western” part a sculpture “Cross-links” has been placed – the “rubber man” depicts the contradictory nature of the individual, as well as the existence that is full of internal struggles in both – spiritual and material dimensions. He is like a rubber expander that is stretched between different poles and each part of the body forms a symbolic vector, which portrays the aspiration in the direction of different values. With this character the artist also wants to emphasise the Occidental attitude towards human body throughout the history of civilization, where people are constantly torn between the material and spiritual extremes.

Whereas the image of the “Eastern” part depicts a treatment of the human body from the Islamic point of view - practically avoiding any interpretations of human figures. The whole space has been left to spiritual dimension. By using ceramic tiles in the colours of Algerian flag, the artist presents an ornamental composition, which contains within itself certain anthropomorphic features, thus hinting at the inevitable presence of the physical body.

With his exhibition, Kirilis Pantelejevs wants to express his attitude towards a topical subject, whilst bypassing the political and ideological context, but on the contrary - basing it on his own personal experiences and feelings.

Kirils Pantelejevs mainly works with sculpture – in both traditional and non-tradition forms, as well as those that are far away from being sculptural. And in his creations there is a sense of constructive and precise approach to the material and the concept. The idea is formulated deeply and clearly, and at the same time lightly, not overloading and overly complicating the perception of the work.
For each project, Kirils Pantelejevs chooses a special, context-specific definition that determines the selected technique, materials as well as professional skills, using traditional sculpture, installations, environmental objects and elements of performance art.
Kirils Pantelejevs has graduated from the Department of Sculpture at the Art Academy of Latvia (1994) and did his fieldwork at the Humboldt State University in California (USA).
Since 1986 Kirils Pantelejevs participates in exhibitions in Latvia and abroad.