contemporary art, human life ....
Music:
about mi-mi moscow
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Mi-Mi Moscow is a union of two independent artists,
Mila Kalnitskaya & Micha Maslennikov.
Mila Kalnitskaya : b.1968 in Moscow.
Micha Maslennikov: b.1961 in Moscow.
Graduated from the Moscow Higher Art and Industrial School
/formerly the Stroganoff School/
from 11. 2005 to 02. 2007
mi-mi moscow were heading the rubric “Antipode presents†in the “Desillusionistâ€Â magazine.
Select Exhibitions:
2007 “Romancing the Stone†Town Hall, Manchester, UK.
2006 “International Photography Awardsâ€Â (IPA). Los Angeles. USA.
2005 "International Craft Exhibition “-ITAMI-" Itami museum. Japan.
2004 "Espace Solidor" Cagnes-sur-Mer. France.
2004 "Birthday Party" 25 years of The Gallery of Art in Legnica. Poland.
2004 "Not for Sale" Solo-exhibition Mi-Mi. Gallery Bielak. Krakow. Poland.
2004 "Two Capitals" Moscow + Washington. The All-Russian
Decorative, Applied Art Museum. Moscow + Washington Guild of
Goldsmiths. USA.
2003 "International Craft Exhibition “-ITAMI-" Itami museum. Japan.
2003 "Valuable Links. Jewels from the OSCE Countries". Maastricht. Holland.
2002 Solo-exhibition MI-MI at the Salon "SILMO". Paris. EXPO - Porte de Versailles. France.
2002 "Jewellery avant-garde". Hermitage + Schmuckmuseum. Sankt-Petersburg.
2001 Salon "CASABO". Le Carrousel du Louver. Paris. France.
2001 DOLL BY THE STAR. Russian project. ORT/TV/UNIQUE DOLLS MUSEUM. Moscow.
2000 The 6th international contemporary jewellery symposium. AOE. Cracov. Poland.
Since 2000 Mila Kalnitskaya & Micha Maslennikov are exposing together, as “mi-mi moscowâ€
1999 "Avant-garde in the ZOO" Sankt-Petersburg. (Micha)
1998 "Moscow - Sankt-Petersburg" in Schmuckmuseum. Pforzheim.
1993 Group exhibition "Reflection" in Museum of Decorative-Applied Art. Moscow.
1993 Maulbronn. Gallery AM Klostertorn. Germany. (Mila)
1992 Pforzheim. Coldschmideschule. (Mila)
1992 Cracov. Poland. (Mila)
1989 "Amber" Legnica. Poland.
1988 "Color" Legnica. Poland. (Micha)
1985-1994 in Moscow.
Collections:
The Armory Chamber. Moscow. Kremlin.
The Ekaterinburg Museum of Fine Art.
The Museum of Decorative-Applied Art. Moscow. (Micha)
Schmuckmuseum. Pforzheim.
Espace Solidor. France.
Awards:
2005 Judge’s Award - "International Craft Exhibition “-ITAMI-" Itami museum. Japan.
2003 Grand Prize - "International Craft Exhibition “-ITAMI-" Itami museum. Japan.
1998 Second premium - "Ours NAMES"."Jewellery & Arms" Moscow Kremlin. (Micha)
1996 First premium - "Samovar - Design". ZEPTER company. (Micha)
Publications :
mi-mi moscow:
2008 “FEFȆmagazine #6, Rome, Italy.
2008 “MEZONIN†magazine #99 . Moscow. Russia.
2007 “Y SIN EMBARGO†magazine #14, Spain.
2007 “ART NOTES†Magazine Nº 17, Spain.
2007 - “Hooligan†magazine. Moscow. Russia.
2007 - “Paper Jewelry†- Lark books. New York. USA.
2007 - “500 EARRINGSâ€Â - Lark books. New York. USA.
2006 “MFFâ€Â magazine. Milano. Italy.
2006 “Desillusionist†magazine #7. Moscow. Russia.
2005 “Desillusionist†magazine #1. Moscow. Russia.
2004 “FOUR SEASONS OF JEWELRYâ€Â magazine. Tokyo. Japan.
2004 "Moscou-Saint-Petersbourg" catalogue. Espace Solidor. Cagnes-sur-Mer. France.
2003 “MENU pleasuresâ€Â magazine #1. Moscow. Russia.
2003 “Vekoâ€Â magazine #1 /optic/ St. Petersburg. Russia.
2002 “20/20†magazine #6 /optic/. Brasil.
2002 “Veko†magazine #6 /optic/ St. Petersburg. Russia.
2002 “The New World of Artâ€Â magazine #2. St. Petersburg. Russia.
2002 “Jewelry Avant-Garde. Sources. Parallelsâ€Â catalogue. Hermitage + Schmuckmuseum.
2001 “DOOL BY THE STARâ€Â catalogue. Russian project.ORT/TV/Unique dolls museum.
2002 “L’OFFICIEL†magazine # 20. Moscow. Russia.
2001 “Man’s sight†magazine # 9. Moscow. Russia.
2001 “L’OFFICIEL†magazine # 26. Moscow. Russia.
2000 “Jewellery digestâ€Â magazine # 5. Moscow. Russia.
2000 “OMâ€Â magazine # 5. Moscow. Russia.
1999-2000 “L’OFFICIEL†magazine # 15. Moscow. Russia.
Mila Kalnitskaya:
1998 “L’OFFICIELâ€Â magazine # 5. Moscow. Russia.
1998 “ELLEâ€Â magazine # 25. Moscow. Russia.
1998 “Money†magazine # 26. Moscow. Russia.
1998 “JEWELLERY WORLDâ€Â magazine # 1. Moscow. Russia.
1997 “ELLEâ€Â magazine # 14. Moscow. Russia.
1997 “M2†magazine # 1. Moscow. Russia.
1996 “Cosmopolitan†magazine # 2. Moscow. Russia.
1996 “Jeweller†magazine # 3. Moscow. Russia.
1995 “Money†magazine # 38. Moscow. Russia.
1995 “Money†magazine # 32. Moscow. Russia.
Micha Maslennikov:
1999 “Schmuck der Moderne / Modern Jewellery 1960 – 1998â€
album by Fritz Falk & Cornelie Holzach /bestandskatalog/Schmuckmuseum. Pforzheim.
1999 “L’OFFICIELâ€Â magazine # 13. Moscow. Russia.
1999 “jewellery digestâ€Â magazine # 8. Moscow. Russia.
1998 “Design union†magazine # 3. Moscow. Russia.
1997 “Sheâ€Â magazine # 9. Moscow. Russia.
1997 “Russian jewellerâ€Â magazine # 3. Moscow. Russia.
1994 “Russian Jewellery: Mid-19th Century -- 20th Centuryâ€
album by A. Karpun / from the Collection of the Decorative - Applied Art.
1992 “Schmuck aus Russland und Thurungen†catalogue. Germany.
1988 “Kolor†catalogue. Legnica. Poland.
Select TV :
2002 The heroes of the program “Night shift†by D. Dibrov /First canal/Russia.
2002 The heroes of the program “What the woman wants†/Second canal/ Russia.
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mi-mi moscow: bracelet “Capriole Gombelung†1998
â€Jupiter, Becon & Fishâ€
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... The stairway of the experience of many years went to the skies
turning over the pages of Destiny.
"To the skies or to the cellar?"
... Jupiter began thoughtful; his thoughts creaked like badly lubricated gears.
The silken rustle of English Bacon packaging material distracted his
mind from his reflections.
Bacon-he strolled grandly puff-smoking with his Havana cigar
waiting for his darling Bacon-she.
... Bacon-she... almost... Givenchy...
A thought licked a sweet lollipop of a little snowdrift and said
"halloo-halloo" sliding on to meet the wind ...
and trying greedily to catch some
burning hot,
oil-fluffy odor
of
French fries in its gills.
a non-blinking goggle-eyed fish on a frying-pan,
(its forgotten it’s a fish!),
opened its mouth and articulated:
" Are you all nuts here? "
Since then nobody has heard it anymore ...............
..... Maybe "Givenchy" it could not digest ..............
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25. 12. 1999
Translation by Cristina Bove.
mi-mi moscow: tie "Snake tongue" 2000
"The letter"
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Brother Dear,
We haven’t seen each other for eternity whole.
I look forward with impatience to meeting you.
I will walk along with you.
Rose petals of my soul
I will scatter under your steps.
And the weariness of roads will leave your feet.
The best cooks I will invite to my house
And They will cook their best dishes to honor you.
And the hunger of roads will leave your belly.
The most accomplished musicians I will bring to my house
And They will play the most beautiful songs to honor you.
And the creak of the wind of roads will leave your ears.
The most graceful dancers I will bring to my house
And They will dance in your honor
And Their dance will enchant your eyes.
And the loneliness of roads will leave your heart.
We will give ourselves to unhurried conversation, Me and You
About our past, our present and our future.
We will slowly tell the rosary of our lives’ events,
Enjoying each bead.
I Trust, I Hope, I Love!
Sincerely yours,
Abel
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01.10.2005
Translation by Yana Tsoy & Steven Brayshaw.
mi-mi moscow: brooch "Renaissance Grasshopper" 1990
from series: “Principle Tambourâ€
from period "ONCE I WAS VERY HUNGRY ......."
mi-mi moscow: the box. 1993. 80 x 57 x 35 mm.
material: silver, gold, mother-of-pearl, emerald, malachite, coral.
mi-mi moscow: the box. 1994. 77 x 64 x 30 mm.
material: silver, gold, mother-of-pearl, aventurine, steel flat spring.
Movies:
“Internal conversations for external usageâ€
Interview made by Yana Tsoy / 2005
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About 2-3 years ago you stopped communication with the World.
At the same time, you acquire legends and most improbable stories.
- ... ?
- One day you exhibit in the Louvre and wreck
the reception of Mayor of Paris during the Week of Haute Couture.
Another day you are met as pilgrims in Tibet.
At the same time, you are taking Grand Prix
in The Metropolitan Museum, and also you are buying
a private residence in Cote d'Azure.
And, you cruise across Moscow in your own Rolls-Royce,
painted like a sandwich with red caviar.
This all looks like you have won at least a million dollars,
or, inherited a diamond mine....
And you are always looking mmm... somehow cheerfully.
Any comments about all this?
- I really liked it about the Rolls-Royce.
- And me, about the private residence in Cote d'Azure.
Listen, Yann, was there a swimming pool?
... no, I would better live on a big yacht, with
two workbenches on the forage.
... instead of the mast we shall put a couple of rollers...
Are they making yachts with an engine?
It is cool! We don't need a sail. And no phone.
Yes! To go far, far away and to saw our things there.
How beautiful! Sea everywhere, seagulls screaming!
Gauguin, he understood about work!
... I wonder why seagulls are always hungry?..
Richard Bach must have know the answer to this question...
...He knows but doesn't tell ... . Why?
There is an interesting dilemma: to tell or not to tell?
- To tell! And so?
- We did not try to wreck the reception, we just brought some fun to it.
That was Salon "Casabo" in 2001, as I remember.
The Grand Prix took place, though not in USA, but in Japan.
And not in “The Metropolitan Museumâ€, but in Museum “ITAMIâ€, in 2003.
- Is it true, that at the ceremony of awarding,
instead of giving a reciprocal speech, you sang a romance?
- Yes... Is there a need to speak, where everything is clear.
Language of Vibrations is much stronger than Language of Words.
I reckon, that was an Adequate answer,
and a very natural form of gratitude.
- And Tibet?
-... Everybody is searching for the path in life.
Both Salon "Casabo", and Salon "Silmo" are parts of this search, too.
- Mi-Mi, where do you put the edge between the truth and imagination?
- Mi-Mi is a form of balance and equilibrium,
and the edge is right between Mi-1 and Mi-2.
- And Who is Who?
- To be honest, we don't know ourselves.
We often swop.
Two leaders under one roof is a dynamite.
- Your open letter to President V.V.Putin was written in a very tough form.
Did he answer you?
- No comments.
- Did you publish it anywhere outside Russia?
- No. These are internal affairs, and they concern only Russians.
- Were you scared?
- Everybody's scared of something.
- You do not work with gold and silver. Why?
- If Leonardo da Vinci would have painted his Mona Lisa with gold and silver,
would it somehow change its value?
No!
He painted it with what he thought was right. That's all!
Gold is just a symbol. One can make gold from everything.
From Thoughts, from Words, from Air which you breath.
We have this habit to percieve everything around us as real.
But, if there is no more Air, for example.
...Then, it becomes more precious than any gold.
You can try... Hold your breath, just for a minute. And you'll see.
Water in the desert has one value,
and for a drowning person - completely different.
- A year ago there was a note in a Moscow newspapers:
“Mi-Mi have lost own eggs.
Who found them,
please return them back,
reward is guaranteedâ€
Was it an advertising trick, or what?
- You will laugh. It is truth.
A photographer from one respectable magazine
took 6 our works for a photo-session.
And he left them in a taxi by accident.
There was a butterfly tie there, â€For very important manâ€, a work of 2000.
It was made in the form of a pair of eggs.
- Were the works found?
- No.
- Have they paid you?
- We perceive this as a Sacrifice. A pass between Scilla and Haribda.
It is not about money, it's about time... No, it's not about time either.
The Eggs is a symbolic thing. It took me 3 months to "recreate" it.
Quite naturally, with completely different result. But I like it.
It is the same, when you love your dog.
A small puppy given to replace the one who died.
The same breed. The same colour. And the same name,
but... It helps to forget.
It is much more complex with “The Arabian Nightâ€
... Such a pity, but I cannot repeat it.
- And can someone else make it?
- No.
We cannot come back even to the womb of our own mother.
As well as we cannot be born today, 40 years of age.
The nature of "The Arabian Night†is far from simple.
A very willful spirit.
It is not possible to make it again, because
I am truly not in the state of its creation.
Of course, I can get back into it, but,
to stay there for 2 months!
It's not just simply to have a look at the sketches, and come back.
It would require Active work!!!
I just don't want... And to tell the truth, I am afraid that it will simply crush me.
Today my blood doesn't have antidotes from situations of year 2000.
Such works do not vanish. Just the nestling grew up and took off from a jack.
And we are simply sad, that it is not in our collection.
- Are you always speaking about things as animated objects?
- Yes., because it doesn't make sense to speak about unanimated objects.
the most "advanced" person.
We do not speak about “fingerprints†left by the author on the surface.
Of course, any work of art can tell a lot about the author.
It carries his full CV, from date of birth to state of health. Actually,
to have a closer look at it - it's like to peep for your neighbour.
It's like a small joke and it distracts one's attention from real "essence" of the work.
The word "essence" is a concept from the area of moving spirits.
Here we use it conditionally.
Artefacts create space around them and influence our life.
Strong artefacts can influence whole nations.
With time passing, if the Artefact is used, it gains more strength.
Mona Lisa. Christians even say “prayered iconâ€.
If the Artefact is not used, its power doesn't go away, but it seems to stop.
But it never disappears. This power can be "preserved" till the right moment comes.
That was the case with the Sphynx.
But it doesn't happen by our will. Only by its own.
- What does it mean - "the right moment�
- The Sphynx is a primitive key to development of our civilization from zero level.
There are very many different keys in the World, to open every possible door.
You know, it is the same as with the dilemma “ To speak or to not speakâ€.
The question about who does the work.
“The Master does the Work, or, the Work does the Master?â€
Most of the answers are hard to digest for the society.
All depends on which side you are looking from.
If one considers oneself as God, he receives these answers.
If not, different answers.
If you live in a particular country,
then you see the world cut by the borders of this country.
If you live in the world you see a wider picture.
For us, there is no difference between a Christian icon and a Buddhist mandala.
Even graphical methods are the same:
a circle in a square, the pattern of lines leads to the center of the face,
and disfocuses in the eyes zone.
The traditional visual tool for meditation.
By the way, about Artefacts and their influences.
A Knoss column - that's classic.
Any Catholic cathedral has strongly expressed pattern
“From the bottom upwards to the topâ€,
and any Slavic temple has strongly expressed tendency
"From the Top downwards to the Bottomâ€.
What do you think, does this affect people who come to these temples, or
simply admire them, as tourists.
Naturally, this affects the view. the difference lies in self awareness,
self-consciousness of the human being in the World.
In Roman style - the European view is similar to the view of Slavic people.
What has happened?... And in fact it has happened quite recently.
- Do you think about all this when you work.
- No. When you work you don't think at all.
How so?
It is like a dialogue between the master and this thing,
which later will be called the work of art.
-Can you not do it?
- No. It does not depend on us.
- And can some evil essence participate, for example, in this dialogue?
- No. The process itself occurs not in the head,
but in the chest, on subtle vibrational levels.
This state one might call “the State of being the Naked truthâ€.
There is no Money, there is no Glory there.
Any negative concept cannot live there, it would simply burn down.
Would you like to live in the World with no rage, no envy, no deceit?
- Of course.
- So do we. That is why we rarely go to see people
To get into such a state is very difficult; but to be kicked out of it is very easy.
- Do all artists know what you are speaking about?
- We reckon, Yes. The terminology might be different.
- All this reminds so much of Alchemy.
- More likely, the Byzantian jack.
- Do you mean, we are similar?
- Not absolutely.
It was Sergey Eisenstein who noticed that
“Europe develops UPwards, and the East develops WIDEwardsâ€
And if Al Greco lived in Spain, and
Theofan the Greek lived in Russia, it still doesn't mean anything.
- Why people in Europe don't like Russians?
- Why?...
You know, recently we read about relationship between
the Spanish and the English.
You know, you would roar with laughter.
That tourist guide had a title: “These amusing Spanish“,
“These amusing Japanese“...
By the way, there is one about Russians.
And one of these days I saw a dream:
“I am an American living in America and obedient to the lawâ€
- And what?
- I woke up in cold sweat! ... Joke!, but Who knows...
You know, Russians also don't like somebody. it is life.
- What happens in the World, in the field of “Contemporary Jewellery�
- The effect of victory of Style in Art:
it's when everybody agrees with the general line.
And there is a narrow zone left for creativity,
work on cementation of cracks
between bricks laid by titans.
- It's joke?
- No. ... It's regular process.
- And what do you want?
- To open the door to a Room where nobody has been yet.
- Modest you are.
- And why not? It was possible before.
-...?
- "Principle tambour" , for example. Early 90-s.
The effect of “Drawing on sand†is a provocation on consistency.
It is a meccano, and an invitation to play a fair game with oneself.
Actually, it is not a brooch, in the usual meaning.
These are two separate circles which lock together.
But each time you take this brooch off the dress, it is invariably destroyed.
And then it is reborn again. And this process continues endlessly.
All depends upon your Imagination.
What you use - paper, or textile - this is entirely your private choice.
What image you create today,
and what you create tomorrow - this is your choice either.
All depends upon your mood, not mine.
I only suggest a game.
I suggest to appeal to the creative side of oneself.
I do not know, what you'll make with this.
But I guarantee it will be your real Self.
You cannot hide behind other people's thoughts all your life.
You are What You Are.
P.S.:
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- Why people in Europe don’t like Russians?
- You know ... Romans did not love the barbarians too, ...
is especial before fall of Rome. ... Joke.
... Perhaps, because not those fly, and not about those speak. ... that’s why.
You know this proverb “If you such clever, where your money?â€
In Russia it means the opposite.
Several years ago we put it like this:
" Who is a beggar? ... It’s not a person without money,
it’s a person who doesn’t have anything except money.â€
Russian intelligentsia is not required today.
Back in 2000, the Germans wanted to make a multiseries documentary film
“About good Russiaâ€:
About Scientists, Musicians, Poets, Artists, Doctors, Teachers....
We were so proud, that one of the series was dedicated to us.
That’s why we know about this project.
IT was forbidden to make this film.
And the explanation was simply,
that Europe doesn’t need a film “About good Russiaâ€.
... Are there any thieves and murderers in your circle?
- No!
- The same with us. ... And our circles of communication are different.
If somebody makes a choice, you cannot stop this.
... If somebody is interested in murderer Salonnik,
he will never meet academician Lihachov!
Cash flows are fed by “Interestâ€.
People are more curious about the executioners rather than their victims.
and Keeping Silence means to participate in the crime,
because Silence kills those who survived.
If the world would speak about Pontius Pilate too much,
nobody would learn about Jesus Christ.
"Anathema" is a strong medicine.
Pity, but world don’t produce this pill anymore.
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Interview made by Yana Tsoy. March 2005
for “Motivator†magazine.
Translation by Yana Tsoy 2005.
