Ho provato a tradurlo. Примитивный Концептуализм. Prima come Concettualismo Primitivo. Ma è bruttissimo, mi hanno detto i miei amici linguisti e traduttori, e non èneanche la traduzione giusta perché Примитивный in russo e Primitivo in italiano non sono due cose uguali. Devo ridurre questo Primitivo, deciso. E l’ho Ridotto
I tried to translate it. First I came up with Primitive Conceptualism. “But it sounds absolutely awful ! “ my friends, who are involved in linguistics and translation, exclaimed. Besides, it wouldn’t be correct to translate it word for word, because the Russian “Примитивный” does not have the same meaning as the Italian “Primitivo”, although they sound very similar. I decided to reduce this Primitivo. So, it became Ridotto.
Non parlo bene italiano. Neanche adesso. A quell’ora era ancora peggio. Cercavo di capire come posso chiamare i miei disegni e i miei testi. Sarà Concettualismo, mi èvenuto in mente. Concettualismo con un quasi impercettibile sorriso della saggezza, con un sorriso leggerissimo che riempia gli occhi e appena tocchi gli angoli delle labbra. Concettualismo che ride. Concettualismo Ridotto.
My Italian has never been very good. Now it is no better. Back then it was even worse. I was trying to provide my drawings and my writing with a definition. It occurred to me that they could be defined as Conceptualism. Conceptualism with an almost imperceptible smile of wisdom, with the lightest smile that fills the eyes and slightly touches the sides of the lips: Smiling Conceptualism. Concettualismo Ridotto.
Non fumo e sto bene. Invece di non fumare, fumo una pipa di ceramica bianca, come quella di Van Gogh. Invece di fumare una pipa, fumo un sigaro come quello di Sir Winston Churchill. Invece di fumare un sigaro, fumo una sigaretta come quella di Sir Paul McCartney di mezza età. Invece di fumare una sigaretta, fumo una sigaretta di qualità scarsa come quella di Sir Paul McCartney da giovane. Invece di fumare una sigaretta di qualità scarsa, mastico come Tom Sawyer e Huckleberry Finn un chewing gum alla nicotina. Invece di masticare un chewing gum alla nicotina, non mastico nulla. E poi… Invece della filosofia di Laozi, la filosofia di Mao Tse Dong. Invece del governo di George Washington, il governo di George Bush padre e George Bush figlio. Invece del concettualismo sviluppato, Concettualismo Ridotto.
I don’t smoke and feel good not smoking. I smoke a white ceramic pipe, similar to the one Van Gogh had. Instead of smoking a pipe I smoke a cigar like the ones Sir Winston Churchill smoked. Instead of cigars I smoke a cigarette like those a middle aged Sir Paul McCartney smoked. Instead of smoking a regular cigarette I smoke a bad quality cigarette, like those Sir Paul McCartney smoked when he was young. Instead of smoking a bad quality cigarette I chew tobacco, like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Instead of doing this I chew nothing. And then… Instead of Laozi’s philosophy, here comes the philosophy of Mao Zedong. Instead of George Washington’s government, here comes the government of the Bushes. Instead of developed conceptualism, here comes Conteptualismo Ridotto.
Tim Kostin
Born in Saint-Petersburg, into a family of artists
Lives and workes mainly in Italy (Modena, Bologna) since 2001
Defines his work as Concettualismo Ridotto
Considers art a means of reflection and contemplation as well as one of very few methods of perception open to man
Suggests that any phenomenon, as well as any art phenomenon can be read as a text
Makes illustrations, Makes paintings, Does portraits, Does scenography
Activities:
2001-2017 – illustrator. Has been employed by Marcos y Marcos (Milano), Gallucci (Rome), Pendragon (Bologna), Fernandel (Ravenna), Luca Sossella Editore (Rome), Derive Approdi (Rome), I Libratti (Lucca), Panta (Rome), MobileNews (Saint-Petersburg, Moscow), Marine Book (Saint-Petersburg), AST (Moscow) publishing houses
2006-2011 – art–director, illustrator and designer of L’Accalappiacani (Emilia Romagna), a literary magazine published by Derive Approdi (Rome)
In 2006 and 2008 was awarded the main and special prizes at the painting contest launched by the Muratori Fund (Vignola, Modena)
Summer, 2006 – art director for the Saint-Petersburg theme park “Divo-Ostrov”
1995-2004 – member of conceptual art group “Emergency Exit” (Saint-Petersburg)
1987 -2001 – art-director and co-screenwriter, theater “Goon Go “(Saint-Petersburg)
1987 – 2017 – participant in multiple painting, graphic art and conceptual art exhibitions and performances in Italy, Germany, UK and Russia .
Education:
Student of the St. Petersburg State Academy of Theatre Art and the Russian Academy of Arts (courses in Directing, Scenography, Strategies of Modern Art)
Graduated at the St. Petersburg State Academy of Theatre Art, master in Directing. Studied under famous graphic art, painting, scenography and conceptual art masters, such as:
Yury.A.Sobolev – founder of the Moscow Conceptualism movement in 1960s. 1960s-2000s he is one of the gurus of Russian conceptual art. Served in his later years as professor of INTERSTSUDIO department in the Saint Petersburg Theatre Arts Academy.
Alexander B. Baturin – artist, student of Vladimir Sterligov, founder of the eponymous Institute in Paris.
Edward S. Kochergin – one of the most reputable scene-designers of the past four decades, professor of the Russian Academy of Arts
Alexander A. Krilov – professor of the Russian Academy of Arts
Alexander M. Daniel – professor of the Saint Petersburg Theatre Arts Academy
Mikhail M. Petrenko – artist, illustrator, professor
timkostin@gmail.com
