SWANS HAVE ARRIVED!

Swans have arrived!

‘The spell will lose its power if a young man, who has never before pledged his love to anyone, falls in love with her and remains faithful to her...’

(Modest Tchaikovsky, ‘Libretto for the ballet “Swan Lake”’) ...▷

At night, the entrance to Moscow State University’s Botanical Garden, ‘Aptekarsky Ogorod’, is closed

"Swans have arrived!"

sculpture, video
The Botanic Gardens of Moscow State University "THE APOTHECARIES' GARDEN"
Mixed materials
2018

Concept
Konstantin Grouss
Site - The Apothecaries' Garden - The Botanical Garden of Moscow State University
Location - old lake
Ars Hortus Festival

The sculpture is located on the water surface of the lake and is a composition of 4 figures of dancers dressed in classical ballet tutus.
The sculpture was created in response to the Apothecaries’ Garden and its historic pond, which evokes the cultural memory of Swan Lake. Figures of ballerinas were constructed from improvised materials, combining the image of the romantic swan with that of the garden scarecrow.
The figures move almost imperceptibly under the influence of water and wind.

Materials used -

Metal fittings
Plastic pipes
Rough fabric - burlap
Lightweight artificial filler
Classic ballerina costume - tutu, pointe shoes
Underwater base - concrete, metal

Sculpture

Dance in dynamic statics
Sculpture is a logical continuation of the dance, the opportunity to give it existence in another time and dimension. an opportunity to give it a life in another time and dimension.
In my approach to working with static form, a kinetic element is essential, as it conveys a sense of change and a connection to the present moment

Variations

As it happened, the sculpture was created in two variations during the course of a single exhibition.
Variation 1 remained on the lake for three weeks and, in a tragic echo of the famous ballet, was destroyed during a storm and a torrential downpour. It was both sad and symbolic.

The floating figures were reminiscent of Ophelia’s tragedy.

I decided that our fairy tale would have a happy ending, and over the course of the following month I created Variation 2. This was an entirely new composition, which remained on the lake for four seasons.