ALMATY – Any meeting with Alexandra Roganova, an artist from Almaty, is an occasion for wonder. She switches from the mystical, like Vladimir Vernadsky’s theory on the noosphere, straight to more homespun topics like salmon spawning.
Roganova’s artistic interests are equally widespread. She paints, draws, makes ceramics and shoots photographs. She might drive 1,000 kilometres for the perfect shot, wake up at dawn and spend a day searching for wild tulips at a riverside. But she always gets her image. And from these trips she brings home things like seeds and wild bird feathers, which make up her collection of memories and feelings. Later on, she views these things through a microscope and makes new discoveries. The discoveries help her comprehend the world and bring the inspiration to create new art objects. In her studio is a microscope, right between a large book on ceramics and a sketchbook.
A piece of work by Alexandra Roganova
There is a great variety of fishes in this sketchbook, as well as in the studio. Large and small fish, flat and three-dimensional fish, multicoloured and black-and-white fish, joyful and sad fish live everywhere. They gather together on paper and on canvas, on shelves and panels. The fish swim up and down and whirl in dance. Roganova confesses that she always paints or sculpts fish between projects.
Do not take this to mean the artist’s studio is in chaos. Roganova’s workspace is in exceptional order; it is reminiscent of a researcher’s lab. However, the order contrasts the motley colour scheme of her art. The artist, like a child, loves to paint her world with vivid colours. Here we can see that the researcher and the artistic child are good friends, and their collaboration produces pure, innocent art full of deep thoughts.
A piece of work by Alexandra Roganova
The ceramic panel “Life Cycle” is a one of a kind. According to the artist, the work represents meaning-bearing evolution layers. It is a ceramic square panel with an endless spiral on it. The spiral is the symbol of eternal evolution. On the helix are dancing fish. A road crosses over their path, on which men wearing sun symbols walk. The fish and the men move in the same rhythm on the road of life, the fish carrying secrets to the men. The dots, lines and circles build up a fluid composition. One can see the throbbing tunnel that leads to the depths, and the shining sun up in the sky. The universe’s sounds are brought by white and black waves. Multidirectional movements untwist the spiral of the evolution. The ceramic panel delivers the concept that the true meaning of life is eternal development. This is Roganova’s belief, and her message.
