Ilya and Emilia Kabakov
Two mountains

Preview 26 Mar, 4:30 - 7:30 pm
Exhibition 27 Mar - 11 May, 2013

SPROVIERI
23 heddon Street W1B 4BQ

Sprovieri Gallery is proud to announce Two Mountains, a solo exhibition of new paintings by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, internationally recognised as two of the most influential living artists. The exhibition, from March 27 to May 11, coincides with the Kabakov’s major installation, The Happiest Man, at Ambika P3, University of Westminster, jointly presented by Sprovieri Gallery and Ambika P3.
 
Although known for their ‘total installations’ - whole environments which surround the visitor with complex references to history, art, literature and philosophy - painting is also a crucial part of Ilya and Emilia Kabakov’s work and has often complemented their installation works. In this exhibition, the Kabakovs will present five new paintings and six watercolours never previously exhibited.
 
Each painting represents a mountain and its perfect reflection, as if the artists portrayed the view of a surface of water mirroring the surrounding environment. The subject of the mountain occurs very often in Kabakovs’ oeuvre and conveys an idea of freedom and cosmic energy. This depiction is inspired by the idea that above us there is an upside world which is exactly like the world we live in. The duplicity of the image also refers to a double reality: the everyday life opposed to a highest world, which is connected with the cosmos.  ‘This is a parable about how what we do not know, do not see and are afraid of is in fact, exactly the same and replicates what we do know, do see and are not afraid of’(Ilya and Emilia Kabakov).
 
The Kabakovs have shown their work at Sprovieri Gallery since the gallery opened in 2000. Previous solo shows include The Flying Paintings and Under the Snow (2010), I sleep in the Orchard (2008), The White Cube (2005), Toilet in the Corner (2002), How to Meet an Angel (2000)
 
The Kabakovs’ work is included in the collections of most of the world’s major museums (MoMA, New York, Tate Modern, London and The Pompidou in Paris) and has been widely exhibited internationally. They were selected for major international events such as the Venice Biennial (1993, 1995, 2003, 2007), the São Paulo Biennial (2010) and the Singapore Biennial (2008) and in 2014 will present Monumenta at the Grand Palais, Paris. The Kabakovs live and work in New York, USA.