Color pencil on paper, 46 x 64 cm, 2017
Dust to Dust by Michail Michailov is a series (2014-2018) of highly intricate, illusionistic drawings and color illustrations that explore the conditions and questions pertaining to the notions of purity and perfection in the artist's own life/work. Michailov situates the notion of inner purity - as a condition to achieve perfection – with the external cleaning of his rooms and surroundings. His exploration of inner purity lends itself to an inner and outer cleansing, which are then artistically rendered in his drawings and paintings. The process of rendering these dust studies (which appear hyper-realistic in its representation) takes nearly as long as, or longer than the accumulation of the dirt and dust itself. Hence, the artistic process becomes a form of a meditative contemplation which contrasts the active awareness of the artist with the unconscious development of dirt and stains.
The drawings are presented as an installation deliberately framed within the architectonic forms of the house/rooms, such as popping out of skirting boards, hanging on the walls as well as lying on the floor. The accumulation of dust and dirt in daily life may often be perceived as rather insignificant, mundane or as inevitable remnants of human existence. However, through Michailov’s deliberate aestheticization, the objecthood and subject matter of dust adopts a new signification. The hand drawn and painted micro cosmos become mechanisms to provoke thought and enable new associations to these common, everyday insignificant subjects.
Color pencil on paper, 59 X 84cm, 2016
Color pencil on paper, 46 x 64cm, 2018
Color pencil on paper, 138 x 138cm, 2018 (detail)
Color pencil on paper, 46 x 64cm, 2018
Color pencil on paper, 59 x 84cm, 2016
Intervention in public space, Roma 2010
Michail Michailov (Paris, Vienna) is a multimedia artist, whose artistic practice engages with drawing, photography, performance and video documentation. Michailov employs his classical training in fine art and art history from the University of Vienna as foundations for critical, experimental process-based work that examines themes relating to the ideals of perfection and questions about existence.
Intervention in public space, das weisse haus, Vienna 2009
Organisational and artistic collaboration: Hannes Anderles
Michail Michailov’s 30 meter long lettering "ICH FERGEBE DIR" (which means "I FORGIFE YOU") sounds confusing and ambiguous. The placement of the message in front of a national symbol of Austria, the St. Stephans Cathedral is key as it affects every visitor/viewer by making him/her aware of his personhood, shifting his focus from his outward observations of the historical site to his/her own inward mental state. The writing transgresses the typical Ego-It perspective while establishing an Ego-You relationship. The "ICH" (which means I) and the "DIR" (which means you) stands for the personalities, which are in dialogue. It evokes confusion and concern at the same time. Who is the "I", which forgives? Who is forgiven? Whom do I want to forgive? It’s also a straight message to the Church and the State. The countless obstacles, which are put in a foreign national’s, an artist’s, an unusual person’s way, are commemorated and "forgiven".
The misspelled word "fergeben" (which is correctly written "vergeben") is not in line with the perfect first district. The "wrong-F" implicates not-being-perfect, not-being-in-line and not-completely belonging-to. It stands for the socio-cultural differences and questions the society’s pursuit of perfection.
Installation, Haus Wittgenstein, Bulgarian Cultural Institute, Vienna 2013
C-print on dibond, 50 x 70cm, 2008, Edition 2 of 5. From Chameleon series.
C-print on dibond, 50 x 70cm, 2008, Edition 1 of 5. From Chameleon series.
C-print on dibond, 50 x 70cm, 2008, Edition 1 of 5. From Chameleon series.
C-print on dibond, 50 x 70cm, 2008, Edition 1 of 5. From Chameleon series.
C-print on dibond, 36 x 46cm, 2010, Edition 1 of 7. From Chameleon series.
Arlberg 2015
HD video, 38min
Photography and Cinematography: Hannes Anderle
Refuging (2015), creates a documentary-like vision that follows the artist as he travels through the high altitudes of the alpine terrain. Wearing a white protective jumpsuit, Michailov traverses the snow-covered mountain landscapes in alpine skiing equipment. Moving in a repetitive locomotion, he produces over a long period of time deeper and deeper circular tracks imprinted into the snow, but barely moves in terms of distance. The repetitive bodily motions and its seeming futility, a suggestive parallel to the hamster spinning around on its wheel, brings to rise questions pertaining to established repeated patterns of behavior in our society. The viewer is encouraged to reflect on one's own patterns of behavior, naturalized socio-cultural conditions and the ways in which one may negotiate in, around and/or out of such established patterns and conditions.
Le Carreau du Temple, Paris France. Michail Michailov receiving the Drawing Now Art Award, 2018 with Carine Tissot, Joana P. R. Neves, Philippe Piguet, Christine Phal, Véronique Souben, Daniel Schildge, Adam Budak and Brett Litman.