Raising questions concerning the relationship between reality and its image, Russian-born Ivan Pushkin documents how technology has ramified our our perceptual capacities. Working at the crossroad of traditional photography and digital media, he shows how our perceptions of reality are filtered by historical attitudes—habitual assumptions and patterns of behavior that are reflected in a cultural legacy of signs and symbols.

Pushkin traces out the movement of historical experience as it becomes an imaged moment interweaving both personal and political mythologies. His photograph Vodokreschi (Baptism of the Lord) provides a brilliant instance of this, highlighting his strangely ambiguous sense of humor. Picturing a bitingly cold winter playground, what stands out at the photograph’s center is a white stone crucifix, which is situated at the end of a modestly-sized basin. While preserving its religious and ritualistic function, the basin has nonetheless been co-opted for swimming rather than any religious purpose. Essential to this photograph are the two people holding digital cameras that capture this playful appropriation of otherwise sacred water, suggesting a baptism by the light of a digital screen rather than consecrated fire.

Exhibition Dates: January 27 - February 7, 2018

Reception: Thursday, February 1, 2018 6-8 PM

Gallery Hours: Tues-Sat 11:00am – 6:00pm

Gallery Location: 530 West 25th Street, New York, NY

Event URL: https://www.agora-gallery.com/artistpage/Ivan_Pushkin.aspx

Featured Artists:

Andres Marcolla | Eduard Korniyenko | David Bartlett | Misha De-Stroyev | Alain Licari |  Niki Polyocan | Steve Sumpton | Loïc Vendrame | ANTONIO PRIVITERA | Anca Moanta | Jeremy Damato | Gustavo Mittelmann | Eli Matityahu | Vincent Chahley | Artur Golacki | SIDNEY COSTA GASPAR | HaleLee Seoyeon | Laura Pannack | Steffen Tuck | Cecilia Manzanares Vargas | Stephanus Meyer | Michela Carmazzi | Alina Fedorenko | Ivan Pushkin | Jacob Wallwork | Kévin Galop | Clay Jordan |Tibor Kércz

About the Exhibition

The Chelsea International Photography Competition

The Chelsea International Photography Competition exhibition features the diverse works of 28 professional and amateur photographers. The works on view were selected by a distinguished panel of jurors and convey the astonishing breadth and global nature of the photographic medium. Through expressive portraits, still lifes, and conceptual works, the exhibition conveys a unique perspective on the tradition of photography and how the medium conveys ideas, creates fictions, or captures attitudes.

About Agora Gallery

Agora Gallery is a contemporary fine art gallery located in the heart of Chelsea’s fine art district in New York. Established in 1984, Agora Gallery specializes in connecting art dealers and collectors with national and international artists. The art gallery’s expert consultants are available to assist corporate and private clients in procuring original artwork to meet their organization’s specific needs and budget requirements. With a strong online presence and popular online gallery, ARTmine, coupled with the spacious and elegant physical gallery space, the work of our talented artists, who work in diverse media and styles, can receive the attention it deserves. Over the years Agora Gallery has sponsored and catered to special events aimed at fostering social awareness and promoting the use of art to help those in need.