In Volo (In Flight) Project
Pavart Gallery
Curated by Velia Littera
24 September – 9 October 2020
Solo exhibition IN VOLO (IN FLIGHT) by Olga Teksheva was curated by Velia Littera at Pavart Roma gallery (Rome, Italy). All the artworks were produced specifically for this art exhibition and have never been exhibited before. The main theme of the show is the flight of a dragonfly, a symbol of lightness, freedom and changes. A perfect combination of horizontal and vertical lines, almost minimal in their “Mondrianesque” austerity, and reminiscent of the vertical and horizontal rhythms of the weaved fabric.
There are three series produced for the exhibition:
Material / Immaterial
Large format wall panels (120/150 x 250/300 cm), hand embroidery on textile collage of light transparent fabrics such as chiffon and organza.
Dragonfly
That studies the shape of a dragonfly in all the possible techniques of textile manipulation, weaving, crochet and embroidery.
Dreamcatche
With a net as main element, which collects ceramic details and organic objects (leaves, tree bark, branches).
In addition, there was exhibited a textile installation, Beautiful Flowers Don’t Fit In With Contemporary Art, made of 3D textile flowers of various sizes.
An artifact, an art object is the main point of the artist’s work. An object with rich textures and unpredictable combination of materials, which changes the perception of space and reality by opening the door to a world of “fairy tales for grown-ups”. It reminds us of our childhood feelings and dreams that inspires us to go over limits that we put on ourselves. Gives us strength to fly towards life.
All artistic elements are hand crafted, with many hand embroideries. Olga Teksheva never uses sewing machine, she fully maintains the presence of her hand and heart. Teksheva’s textile works become magical materials. As far as it comes to fabrics, we all have our own personal life experiences: textiles cover us, give us comfort, make us attractive, protect us from cold and heat. Thus Olga’s textile art can bridge the gap between an art viewer and a contemporary artwork since it makes it less conceptual and more emotional, as something we know well.
The show was originally scheduled for May 2020, but was canceled due to global lockdown. Feelings of closure, fear and uncertainty experienced by the artist and by the whole world convinced Olga even more that we all needed our moments of flight. For this reason the show became a unique experience for the artist and for the visitors approaching art in the new post-coronavirus lockdown era.
_____________________
Birth of Colour
Dragonfly
2020, 128 x 160/230 cm, hand embroidery on textile collage, support of plexiglass.
Birth of Flight
Dragonfly
2020, 70 x 130 cm, crocheted fishing thread and metal wire, hand embroidery on textile collage.
Birth of Shape
Dragonfly
2019, 120 x 170 cm, hand weaving, beading, embroidery on textile collage.
Birth of Joy
Dragonfly
2020, 78 x 70/220 cm, wooden structure, hand embroidery on textile collage, wool and acrylic fibers.
Listening To a Butterfly’s Wings
Dragonfly
2020, 122 x 240 cm, hand embroidery on textile collage, wool fibers, plexiglass support.
Female Trees Love Wearing Jewels
Material / Immaterial
2020, 130 x 300 cm, hand embroidery on textile collage, plexiglass support, hand-weaved net, wool fibers.
Beautiful Flowers Don’t Fit In With Contemporary Art
The artist with textile installation.
Branches of Memor
Dreamcatcher
2020, 80 x 137 cm, crocheted cords, hand-weaved net, found onjects. “Dreamcatcher: Wabi V”, 2020, 65 x 55 cm, hand-weaved net, hand embroidery on textile collage, felt, melted chiffon, found objects.
Wabi V
Dreamcatcher
2020, 65 x 55 cm, hand-weaved net, hand embroidery on textile collage, felt, melted chiffon, found objects.
Wabi III
Dreamcatcher
2020, 57 x 68 cm, hand-weaved net, hand embroidery on textile collage, felt, melted chiffon, found object.
Wabi I
Dreamcatcher
2020, 30 x 100 cm, hand-weaved net, wool fibers, hand embroidery on textile collage, jute, felt.
The artist with two of the large-scale artworks at the opening reception of “In Volo” show.