igor romanov volume 3, 2007, #034

igor romanov is an art criticism student. scorpio, single and straight, he adores michelangelo antonioni's pre-80s films and worships woody allen's interiors. he's into avant-garde music and the smell of the old used thermoses. he likes and loves to wear cardigans, collects old soviet cameras, and doesn't consider himself as a photographer.

1. how would you explain 'art' - in 19 words or less? 2 hands + 1 head x aestheticism = art.

2. what is the first work of art you ever loved? can't say if i ever did fall in love with a work of art … i guess i never did. but one of the most impressive works of art that i have ever seen was catherine feric's 'blooming flowers, new york'. it is one of the most beautiful combinations of painting and photographic techniques.

3. how important is theory to your art? the importance of theory to me grows with every new photograph taken. every step must be a step forward, and theory gives me forces and inspiration to make these steps. but i'm not talking about the theory of photography - i'm talking about the theory of art. lately i've been studying the theoretical works of kandinsky and malevich. i am thinking about the way that i can integrate the avant-garde ideas and philosophy of the first decades of the 20th century into my aesthetical world.

4. describe your ideal art workspace. a forest. or, maybe, a field.

5. describe your current art workspace. currently i am in my bedroom.

6. if you could be placed in suspended animation and safely reanimated at some time in the future with the sole purpose being to see how history treated you / your art, would you do it?
i guess no. the only man in whose opinion about the things i do i am interested in is me. i don't give a damn how history will treat me or my art.

7. who are some of your favourite artists (contemporary or canonical)? harry callahan, 'providence (nude on building)'; arnulf rainer, 'face farces' series; hans bellmer, 'la poupée' series; ralph eugene meatyard, 'lucybelle crater and her 15 yr old son's friend lucybelle crater'.

8. tell us about a gallery (online or physical space) that you think rocks, and why you think it rocks. buchman gallery rocks [charlottenstrasse 13, 10969, berlin, tel. +49 (0)30 25899929, tue - sat from 11 am to 6 pm].

9. would you choose the baked bean jaffle or the caramelised pumpkin and red onion tart with crispy radicchio and hazelnut salad with apple vinaigrette? fried bananas with chocolate ice cream. the combination is perfect.

10. finish this sentence: "the work of art can / cannot be considered separately to the artist because ________." the work of art can be considered separately to the artist because the artist can be considered separately from the work of art.

check out more of igor's work at: www.festivalsandfunerals.com

untitled #1, polaroid, 2006

levitation #2, polaroid, 2006

sozinho junto, polaroid, 2006

forestland, photography, 2006