Pantheon

From 21/09/2023 To 23/11/2023

Galería Hilario Galguera Madrid is pleased to present Viktor Pivovarov’s solo exhibition Pantheon in collaboration with DSC Gallery.

The exhibition Pantheon features Viktor Pivovarov’s works on metaphysical forms. The cycle exhibited here, entitled Eidoi with Attributes represents a part of one of Pivovarov’s biggest series Eidoi, begun in 2000 and finished in 2008.

The term Eidos (pl. eidoi) comes from Platonic philosophy, signifying an idea familiar to one’s soul before its conception to which the soul returns throughout one’s life. In his paintings Pivovarov attempts to locate, identify, and then portray this idea.

Pivovarov’s figures are reminiscent of the works of Giorgio de Chirico, the late works of Kazimir Malevich or simply the wooden jointed mannequins used in art schools. The figures are faceless, which deprives them of any individuality, sex or ego. The artist only uses primary colours, as if highlighting the elementary nature of the project itself. The backgrounds are white. Similarly to Wassily Kandinsky, Pivovarov understands the colour white as an equivalent to colour gold, which is ordinarily used to reference the metaphysical world.The works therefore gain a meaning similar to medieval panel paintings. Consequently, the eidoi do not exist in our earthly world, much like the icons of medieval saints.

The eidoi, exhibited in the Madrid gallery, reference the saint figure tradition by their various attributes, which are, in contrast to the figures themselves, portrayed in a realist manner and so become conduits between the earthly and the metaphysical worlds. Any object, be that a kerosene lamp, an inkwell, or a watering can, help us to get closer to the original eidetic worlds. At the same time, when observing these objects, we can identify these eidoi without their individual attributes, similarly to the icons of saints, which are likewise depicted in their idealised, not realistic form.

A procession of eidoi is heading towards a large red circle, symbolising infinity and the transcendental edenic perfection. In the centre of the circle lies another, smaller circle, symbolising the human eye. Through this eye the artist portrays previously invisible ideas which the visitor can in turn explore through this very eye.

The interior of the exhibition might evoke an imaginary Pantheon - the temple of all gods. The procession of perfect beings leads the visitor through the temple nave towards the apse, which dominates the space as a symbol of edenic perfection.

Pantheon, will open to the public on September 21 and will remain open until November 23, 2023.

Monday to Friday: 11:00 - 17:00 h Saturday: 11:00 - 17:00 h

Contact: madrid@galeriahilariogalguera.com