Gorilla

Oleg Kulik is a Ukranian-born Russian artist best known for his performances in which he assumes the role of a dog, frequently chaining himself to objects and other people. By communicating through violent, unpredictable physical action in lieu of verbal commands, Kulik hopes to reach "a conscious falling out of the human horizon," he has explained. The artist’s intention as a provocateur is in bringing to the light the radical religious and societal conservatism he feels has taken over Russian society. Born on April 15, 1961 in Kiev, Ukraine, Kulik graduated from Kiev Art School in 1979 before completing his studies at the Kiev Geological Survey College in 1982. Documenting his work through photography and video, his work has received significant acclaim and attention. He was awarded a scholarship from the Berlin Senate in 1996, was the subject of a retrospective exhibition at the Central House of Artists in Moscow, and participated in the 1996 Interpol exhibition in Stockholm—for which he is now infamous for attacking audience members and nearby artworks. Between 1990 and 1993 he served as the Art Director of the Regina Gallery in Moscow. Kulik currently lives and works in Moscow, Russia.