Publications in English by Katerina Kochetkova
Актуальные проблемы теории и истории искусства / Actual Problems of Theory and History of Art, 2020
This paper intends to investigate various practices in contemporary art that intervene inlandscap... more This paper intends to investigate various practices in contemporary art that intervene inlandscape surroundings. These forms of art have a privilege of not just depicting or imagining natural phenomena, but using them directly as essential components of the work. Thus, in this essay the category of horizon is treated in a very “palpable” way, though metaphorical and poetical at the same time. The physical and symbolic presence and interpretation of horizon in the art of the last five decades constitute the subject of this survey. The artistic strategies reviewed here include artificial creation or accentuation of the horizon line, massive interventions in the surface of the Earth, mechanisms of visual perception and focusing attention,exploration of spatial as well as temporal aspects of the notion, and many more. The concept of the horizon is present in the works of Ian Hamilton Finlay, Antony Gormley, Michael Heizer, Nancy Holt, Maya Lin, Walterde Maria, Robert Morris, Charles Ross, Richard Serra, Robert Smithson, James Turrell, and other artists. By addressing this theme, they utilize a wide range of media to remind us that the horizon is a utopian expression of the eternal longing for the unreachable.
Death and Garden Narratives in Literature, Art, and Film: Song of Death in Paradise, 2020
Gardens are mostly perceived as perfect microcosms of delight and poetic meditation – however, me... more Gardens are mostly perceived as perfect microcosms of delight and poetic meditation – however, melancholic and somewhat darker moods also find their ways into designed landscapes. One of the most intriguing examples of this latter tendency is the garden of Little Sparta near Edinburgh, a masterwork by Scottish artist and poet Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925–2006). His extensive knowledge of history, literature, and philosophy, as well as his bold and uncompromising personality, led him
to rather unflattering conclusions about the modern condition of humanity, culture, and society. As a result, Little Sparta is a space filled with anxiety and provocation, where classical themes and motifs are used to ponder on matters of life and death, war and violence, human imperfections and insecurities, peppered with sparks of Finlay’s peculiar wit.
‘The contemplation of death’ seems to be omnipresent in Little Sparta. In fact, this space is quite reminiscent of a cemetery, as it is filled with objects taking the forms of gravestones, which vary from classical obelisks and vases to modest stelae and plaques. Most of them are adorned with epitaph-like laconic yet deeply meaningful inscriptions, composed by Finlay himself or borrowed from a wide range of sources. The subjects of ‘mourning’ are very different: from homages to artists and philosophers of the past to lamentations on the temporality and frailty of human existence, and from observations on the passing of all things in nature to touching memorials to ships sunken during World War II. In certain cases, Finlay references other burial places, be them real or imaginary, as he does, for example, with Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s cenotaph at the French estate of Ermenonville.
However, what grieved Finlay the most was not the actual human death, but rather the end of the classical culture that, in his view, expressed a certain ‘piety’ seemingly lost in today’s world. This is why, in contrast to Postmodern aesthetics, the artist proclaimed a ‘neoclassical rearmament programme’ and deliberately chose Classicism as the foundation for his work. The aim of this classicizing went far beyond mere stylization: Classicism acted as a means of ‘purifying’ culture of all fuss and superficial detail, and regaining its clarity, austerity, and inherent logical structure. At the same time, Finlay translated the classics into an unmistakably Modernist language that is more easily accommodated by contemporary public. Thus, Classicism served him not as a nostalgic escape from modernity but, on the contrary, as an instrument of acute criticism and debate.
Broadly speaking, Little Sparta presents a new take on the classical theme of death in a pastoral setting – Et in Arcadia Ego, brilliantly covered in Erwin Panofsky’s famous essay of 1955, which Finlay studied and commented on. Finlay offered somewhat surprising interpretations of this theme – for instance, those related to 20th-century warfare and military history. The classical and the modern, the intimate and the universal are interconnected in Finlay’s garden, which he believed should be ‘composed of Glooms and Solitudes and not of plants and trees.’
ASAP/Journal, Oct 2019
Since ancient times, gardens are considered as perfect microcosms governed by their inherent laws... more Since ancient times, gardens are considered as perfect microcosms governed by their inherent laws and rhythms. Thus, the flow and perception of time in gardens are somewhat different from those in the surrounding world – and in most cases, gardens are spaces designed for slow and meditative movement where it is necessary to ‘stop and smell the roses,’ to contemplate the marvels of nature and art. Scottish artist and poet Ian Hamilton Finlay stands as an ardent proponent of this classical tradition, and his masterwork – the garden of Little Sparta near Edinburgh – embodies the famous motto of Emperor Augustus: Festina lente, or ‘Hasten slowly.’ The continuum of time and space is broken here, as Little Sparta references other times and spaces – from ancient Mediterranean to revolutionary France, and from English parks of the Enlightenment to naval battles in the Pacific during World War II. Finlay once remarked that ‘it is quite a natural process to use other times to understand your own time,’ so in his garden the passage of real time, notable in the change of day cycles and seasons, intersects with reconstructed times long gone by but evoked in cleverly designed objects scattered all over the territory. Local and global, contemporary and historic, artificial and natural, physical and imaginary landscapes coincide in a journey that plays with the viewer’s senses and makes time virtually disappear. This journey requires a measured pace and a scrutinizing gaze to focus on certain perspectives and decipher the meanings concealed in Finlay’s objects that synthesize forms, inscriptions, and contexts.
Jardin et mélancolie en Europe entre le XVIe siècle et l’époque contemporaine, 2018
Cet article se concentre sur deux jardins qui illustrent parfaitement des attitudes peu orthodoxe... more Cet article se concentre sur deux jardins qui illustrent parfaitement des attitudes peu orthodoxes envers la création de jardins : Little Sparta en Écosse de Ian Hamilton Finlay et Sacro Bosco de Vicino Orsini à Bomarzo en Italie. Les deux jardins contiennent des témoignages artistiques sur des sujets de vie et de mort, d'amour et de séparation, de danger et de violence, parsemés de nombreuses références philosophiques et littéraires, et parfois d'étincelles d'humour. À Bomarzo, une sélection particulière de personnages et d'épisodes de la mythologie classique et de la romance chevaleresque de la Renaissance aboutit à une vision non conventionnelle de l'univers où les mondes des vivants et des morts sont inséparablement liés et entrent en contact. Little Sparta est rempli de nostalgie pour la civilisation classique, qui est paradoxalement liée à l'histoire moderne, en particulier celle de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale. La juxtaposition des deux sites révèle des liens qui traversent les siècles et les géographies, mettant en lumière les fondements mélancoliques des jardins classiques et contemporains. // This paper is focused on two gardens that serve as perfect examples of unorthodox attitudes toward gardenmaking : Ian Hamilton Finlay's Little Sparta in Scotland and Vicino Orsini's Sacro Bosco at Bomarzo, Italy. Both gardens contain artistic statements on matters of life and death, love and separation, danger and violence, peppered with numerous philosophical and literary references, and occasional sparks of humor. In Bomarzo, a peculiar selection of characters and episodes from classical mythology and Renaissance chivalric romance results in an unconventional vision of the universe where the worlds of the living and the dead are inseparably linked and come into contact. Little Sparta is filled with nostalgia for classical civilization, which is paradoxically related to modern history, especially that of World War II. The juxtaposition of the two sites reveals connections that span across centuries and geographies, bringing to light the melancholic underpinnings of classical and contemporary gardens.
Senzacornice, Nov 2018
This paper reflects upon a relatively new type of designed landscapes that appeared in the 1970s ... more This paper reflects upon a relatively new type of designed landscapes that appeared in the 1970s – sculpture parks, where natural surroundings become an alternative form of contemporary art museum. The genesis of this type is linked with the rethinking of sculpture, its expressive capacity, and ways of its interaction with the public space and the audience. In sculpture parks, the question of relations between art and nature becomes sensitive, as these relations no longer conform to well-tested schemes, but rather become varied and flexible. This is why such territories are very different in their aesthetic, semantic and functional qualities. However, they share some common grounds that artists keep addressing, such as the degree of ‘naturalness’ of the landscape, its treatment as a work of art, principles of tracing the route, attention to ecological concerns, placement of art objects, and interpretation of genius loci theme. These issues are discussed in this paper with examples from a wide range of sculpture parks scattered all over the world and representing different approaches to contemporary landscape art.
Senzacornice, Jun 2017
The present paper investigates certain aspects in the work of Sir Antony Gormley (born in London ... more The present paper investigates certain aspects in the work of Sir Antony Gormley (born in London in 1950), in particular, his methods of representing or, rather, redefining the body in sculpture and its relations to space.
Publications in Russian by Katerina Kochetkova
Сады XX века: символ и реальность [20th-Century Gardens: Symbol and Reality], 2019
Фонд Маг – первый во Франции частный фонд, посвящённый модернизму и современному искусству. Вмест... more Фонд Маг – первый во Франции частный фонд, посвящённый модернизму и современному искусству. Вместе с каталонским архитектором Жозепом Луисом Сертом над проектом работали крупнейшие мастера международного модернизма – Жорж Брак, Жоан Миро, Альберто Джакометти. Каждый из трёх художников создал на территории Фонда собственное пространство, в котором специфическим образом сочетаются архитектура, ландшафт, скульптура и монументальное искусство. В основу общей композиции легла традиционная для Средиземноморья ностальгия по античной культуре, в частности – обращение к крито-микенской цивилизации и связанному с ней мифу о лабиринте Минотавра. // Fondation Maeght is the first private foundation in France dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Along with Catalan architect Josep Lluís Sert, three famous modern artists worked on the project – Georges Braque, Joan Miró, and Alberto Giacometti. Each of them created a personal space on the premises of the foundation, where architecture, landscape, sculpture and monumental art interact in a specific way. The general composition is based on the traditional Mediterranean nostalgia for the culture of Antiquity and, in particular, the Minoan civilization and its core myth about the Minotaur's labyrinth.
![Research paper thumbnail of Роберт Смитсон. Осаждение разума: земляные проекты. Аннотированный перевод [Robert Smithson. Sedimentation of the Mind: Earth Projects. Annotated translation]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/60322812/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Исторические исследования [History Studies], 2019
«Осаждение разума: земляные проекты» (1968) – программное эссе Роберта Смитсона (1938–1973), амер... more «Осаждение разума: земляные проекты» (1968) – программное эссе Роберта Смитсона (1938–1973), американского художника, скульптора, теоретика искусства, одного из основоположников ленд-арта. В этом тексте Смитсон сопоставляет устройство человеческого разума со строением Земли, проводит параллели между когнитивными и геологическими процессами. Также он вводит важные понятия «места» (site) и «не-места» (non-site), которые станут основой практики ленд-арта – создания художественных произведений непосредственно в ландшафте, который служит источником не только вдохновения, но и материалов для работы. Эссе «Осаждение разума» впервые переводится на русский язык. // "A Sedimentation of the Mind: Earth Projects" (1968) is a major essay by Robert Smithson (1938–1973), American artist, sculptor, theorist, and one of the pioneers of Land Art. In this text, Smithson compares the organization of the human mind to the structure of the Earth, drawing parallels between cognitive and geological processes. Also, he introduces two key definitions-'site' and 'non-site', which will become fundamental for the practice of Land Art-that is, creation of artworks in the landscape that serves as a source for inspiration and materials alike. "A Sedimentation of the Mind" is translated into Russian for the first time.
![Research paper thumbnail of Преображая ландшафт, преображая общество: от дворянских усадеб к советским курортам и обратно [Transforming Landscape, Transforming Society: From Private Estates to Restricted Health Resorts, and Back Again]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/61740516/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Un radioso avvenire? L'impatto della Rivoluzione d'Ottobre sulle scienze umane / Светлое будущее? Итоги и перспективы 100 лет спустя, 2019
In pre-Revolutionary Russia, a very special phenomenon of private country estates was developed, ... more In pre-Revolutionary Russia, a very special phenomenon of private country estates was developed, heir to the classical tradition of villas and suburban palaces. These estates, big and small, opulent and modest, were a separate universe, a cozy microcosm with shady gardens, friendly tea parties and slowed-down, somewhat melancholic mood. The storm of the Revolution swept away the old nobility and their established world: some of the estates were demolished, others were abandoned and fell into decline. However, the new social structure brought along the new, deliberately created nobility, such as the military, the party nomenclature, as well as scientists and art people. This new nobility gained access to the old estates that were repurposed not for private but for collective use – as elite health resorts, travel facilities or creative residencies. Even some rituals of country life such as walking in the woods or al fresco dining were reinterpreted under new circumstances. Historic ensembles sometimes preserved their architectural integrity, but more often they received new additions and alterations of layout, which dramatically affected the genius loci of the territory. Changes in the physical landscape reflected transformations in the social landscape, and new architectural vistas opened (or sometimes blocked) new perspectives in life, history, and politics.
![Research paper thumbnail of Садово-парковые ансамбли Лациума XVI века: археология, архитектура, гений места [16th-Century Gardens of Lazio: Archaeology, Architecture, Genius Loci]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/59966095/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Археология и художественное видение: исторические контексты [Archaeology and Artistic Vision: Historical Contexts], 2019
Статья посвящена исследованию археологических и архитектурных прототипов, ставших основой компози... more Статья посвящена исследованию археологических и архитектурных прототипов, ставших основой композиционных решений в садово-парковых ансамблях Лациума XVI столетия. Обращение к древности, необходимое и естественное для этих территорий, стало мощным импульсом к развитию ландшафтного искусства Нового времени. Сады XVI в. заимствовали у своих исторических предшественников не только конкретные мотивы и образы, но и широкий круг символических коннотаций, гений места. Архитектурная археология стала идеологическим инструментом для демонстрации преемственности между старыми и новыми историческими пластами. Эти пересечения рассматриваются на материале таких памятников, как вилла д’Эсте в Тиволи, вилла Ланте в Баньяйя, вилла Маттеи в Риме, Sacro Bosco в Бомарцо и др. // The present paper investigates archaeological and architectural prototypes that laid the foundation of compositional solutions in gardens and parks of Lazio in the 16th century. The turn towards Antiquity, necessary and natural for these territories, was a powerful impulse for the development of Early Modern landscape art. What 16th-century gardens borrowed from their historic predecessors were not only specific motifs and images but also a wide range of symbolic connotations, their genius loci. Architectural archaeology became an ideological instrument to demonstrate the continuity between old and new historic strata. These interconnections are found in such masterworks as Villa d’Este in Tivoli, Villa Lante in Bagnaia, Villa Mattei in Rome, Sacro Bosco in Bomarzo, and more.
ДИ (Диалог искусств), 2019
Интервью с писателем, куратором, членом совета ярмарки Cosmoscow Алистером Хиксом о коллекциониро... more Интервью с писателем, куратором, членом совета ярмарки Cosmoscow Алистером Хиксом о коллекционировании, службе знакомств с искусством и мировом значении московского концептуализма. /// Interview with Alistair Hicks - writer, curator, board member of Cosmoscow Art Fair - on collecting, art dating service, and global importance of Moscow Conceptualism.
Искусствознание, Dec 2017
Interview with Eric de Chassey, director of the Institut National d'Histoire de l'Art (INHA), Par... more Interview with Eric de Chassey, director of the Institut National d'Histoire de l'Art (INHA), Paris. He speaks about the work of INHA, about bridging the gap between varios research areas, about the role of art in today's world, and about the special meaning of abstract painting. /// Интервью с Эриком де Шассе, директором Национального института истории искусства (INHA) в Париже. Он рассказал о деятельности INHA, о преодолении пропасти между разными отраслями науки, о роли искусства в современном мире и об особом значении беспредметной живописи.
ДИ (Диалог искусств), 2018
Рецензия на выставку "Брейгель" в Венском музее истории искусства /// Review of 'Bruegel' exhibit... more Рецензия на выставку "Брейгель" в Венском музее истории искусства /// Review of 'Bruegel' exhibition at Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna
Искусство [The Art Magazine], 2018
This paper is focused on 'La Scarzuola', a monumental complex built in the 1950s-1970s by Italian... more This paper is focused on 'La Scarzuola', a monumental complex built in the 1950s-1970s by Italian architect Tomaso Buzzi. This work continues the historic tradition of 'ideal cities' and yet undermines it in a fantastic Postmodernist way. /// Статья посвящена ансамблю "Скарцуола", построенному в 1950-е - 1970-е годы итальянским архитектором Томазо Буцци. Этот комплекс продолжает историческую традицию "идеальных городов", но в то же время подрывает её своим фантазийным постмодернистским обликом.
![Research paper thumbnail of «Маленькая Спарта» Яна Гамильтона Финлея: поэтика артефакта в ландшафтном искусстве [Ian Hamilton Finlay's 'Little Sparta': Poetics of Artifact in Landscape Art]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/58006830/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Актуальные проблемы теории и истории искусства / Actual Problems of Theory and History of Art, 2018
This paper addresses the unique example of landscape art in the later 20th century — the so-calle... more This paper addresses the unique example of landscape art in the later 20th century — the so-called Little Sparta, a park created by Scottish artist and poet Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925-2006). In this work, which was in the making for 50 years since 1966, there are certain elements rooted in the long-standing tradition of English landscape gardening; yet, this practice is reconsidered, and incorporates the experience of Conceptual art, as well as Postmodernist irony. Since Finlay was not only an artist but also a writer, the literary component plays a major part in his garden — in particular, the concrete poetry movement that maintained the indivisibility of the text’s message and its appearance. The present paper focuses on the concept of ‘garden poems’ or artifacts, which include objects, inscriptions, and natural surroundings.
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Статья посвящена уникальному памятнику ландшафтного искусства второй половины XX века — так называемой «Маленькой Спарте», парку шотландского художника и поэта Яна Гамильтона Финлея (1925-2006). В этом ансамбле, создававшемся с 1966 года на протяжении 50 лет, задействован ряд элементов, укоренившихся в многовековой традиции английского пейзажного парка, и в то же время эта практика переосмыслена, в неё привнесены и опыт концептуального искусства, и постмодернистская ирония. Поскольку Финлей не только художник, но и литератор, словесная составляющая играет в его саду главную роль, в частности движение конкретной поэзии, в которой смысл текста и его внешний вид неразделимы. Предметом исследования в настоящей статье является концепция «садовых стихов», или артефактов, включающих в себя объекты, надписи на них и природное окружение, в котором эти объекты находятся.
![Research paper thumbnail of Классицизм и революция в ландшафтах Яна Гамильтона Финлея [Classicism and Revolution in the Landscapes of Ian Hamilton Finlay]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/55554902/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Пейзажный парк: три века истории. Сборник научных статей, Dec 2017
The present paper explores several gardens and landscape projects by Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925–20... more The present paper explores several gardens and landscape projects by Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925–2006), Scottish artist and poet. In contrast to Postmodern aesthetics, he proclaims a ‘neoclassical rearmament programme’ and deliberately chooses Classicism as a foundation for his work. However, the aim of this classicizing goes far beyond mere stylization: Classicism acts as a means of ‘purifying’ culture of all fuss and superficial detail, and regaining its clarity, austerity, and inherent logical structure. /// В статье рассматриваются некоторые ландшафтные проекты шотландского художника и поэта Яна Гамильтона Финлея (1925-2006). В противовес эстетике постмодернизма он провозглашает "программу неоклассического перевооружения" и сознательно выбирает классицизм как основу своих произведений. Однако он не ограничивается стилизацией: классицизм служит средством "очищения" культуры от всего поверхностного и возвращения ей строгости и логической структуры.
Искусство, 2017
Though Surrealism was one of the most influential trends in 20th-century art, it hardly manifeste... more Though Surrealism was one of the most influential trends in 20th-century art, it hardly manifested itself in landscape design, where the artist cannot fully plunge into the realm of the subconscious, as objective laws of nature play their part. This article touches upon the few extraordinary examples of Surrealist concepts realized in landscape art. /// Сюрреализм, будучи одним из наиболее влиятельных течений в искусстве XX века, в наименьшей степени проявил себя именно в ландшафтном искусстве - то есть там, где невозможно полностью уйти в область бессознательного, где объективные законы природы всегда берут своё. В статье речь идёт о немногочисленных, но крайне любопытных примерах воплощения сюрреалистических концепций в ландшафтном искусстве.
Актуальные проблемы теории и истории искусства VI [Actual Problems of Theory and History of Art VI], 2016
This paper covers some aspects in the art of Antony Gormley, contemporary British Sculptor — in p... more This paper covers some aspects in the art of Antony Gormley, contemporary British Sculptor — in particular, his stance toward the classical sculptural tradition, modes of representation of the human body, the notion of space in sculpture, and communication between Gormley's works and the spectator. /// Статья посвящена некоторым аспектам творчества современного британского скульптора Энтони Гормли — в частности, его связям с классической скульптурной традицией, способам репрезентации человеческого тела, категории пространства в скульптуре и коммуникации произведений Гормли со зрителем.
Amant alterna camenae: Сборник статей к 60-летию И.И. Тучкова, 2017
This paper touches upon the question of symbolic topography expressed in one of the most luxuriou... more This paper touches upon the question of symbolic topography expressed in one of the most luxurious parks of the 16th century - Villa d'Este in Tivoli. Its complex iconography is based on the notions of Art and Nature, which contribute to the general theme of genius loci and metaphorical representation of the topographic realities of Lazio. /// В статье рассматривается система символической топографии, выстроенная в одном из крупнейших ландшафтных ансамблей XVI века - парке виллы д'Эсте в Тиволи. Его сложная иконография основана на понятиях Искусства и Природы, которые складываются в общую тему гения места и метафорического отображения топографических реалий Лациума.
Опыт естествознания и эволюция жанровых форм в истории искусства [Сборник статей], 2017
This paper investigates the concept of 'terza natura' ('third nature') that originated in artisti... more This paper investigates the concept of 'terza natura' ('third nature') that originated in artistic theory of Italian Mannerism, and was closely connected to the development of 16th-century landscape art. /// В статье исследуется понятие "третьей природы" ("terza natura"), возникшее в художественной теории итальянского маньеризма и тесно связанное с развитием ландшафтного искусства XVI века
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Publications in English by Katerina Kochetkova
to rather unflattering conclusions about the modern condition of humanity, culture, and society. As a result, Little Sparta is a space filled with anxiety and provocation, where classical themes and motifs are used to ponder on matters of life and death, war and violence, human imperfections and insecurities, peppered with sparks of Finlay’s peculiar wit.
‘The contemplation of death’ seems to be omnipresent in Little Sparta. In fact, this space is quite reminiscent of a cemetery, as it is filled with objects taking the forms of gravestones, which vary from classical obelisks and vases to modest stelae and plaques. Most of them are adorned with epitaph-like laconic yet deeply meaningful inscriptions, composed by Finlay himself or borrowed from a wide range of sources. The subjects of ‘mourning’ are very different: from homages to artists and philosophers of the past to lamentations on the temporality and frailty of human existence, and from observations on the passing of all things in nature to touching memorials to ships sunken during World War II. In certain cases, Finlay references other burial places, be them real or imaginary, as he does, for example, with Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s cenotaph at the French estate of Ermenonville.
However, what grieved Finlay the most was not the actual human death, but rather the end of the classical culture that, in his view, expressed a certain ‘piety’ seemingly lost in today’s world. This is why, in contrast to Postmodern aesthetics, the artist proclaimed a ‘neoclassical rearmament programme’ and deliberately chose Classicism as the foundation for his work. The aim of this classicizing went far beyond mere stylization: Classicism acted as a means of ‘purifying’ culture of all fuss and superficial detail, and regaining its clarity, austerity, and inherent logical structure. At the same time, Finlay translated the classics into an unmistakably Modernist language that is more easily accommodated by contemporary public. Thus, Classicism served him not as a nostalgic escape from modernity but, on the contrary, as an instrument of acute criticism and debate.
Broadly speaking, Little Sparta presents a new take on the classical theme of death in a pastoral setting – Et in Arcadia Ego, brilliantly covered in Erwin Panofsky’s famous essay of 1955, which Finlay studied and commented on. Finlay offered somewhat surprising interpretations of this theme – for instance, those related to 20th-century warfare and military history. The classical and the modern, the intimate and the universal are interconnected in Finlay’s garden, which he believed should be ‘composed of Glooms and Solitudes and not of plants and trees.’
Publications in Russian by Katerina Kochetkova
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Статья посвящена уникальному памятнику ландшафтного искусства второй половины XX века — так называемой «Маленькой Спарте», парку шотландского художника и поэта Яна Гамильтона Финлея (1925-2006). В этом ансамбле, создававшемся с 1966 года на протяжении 50 лет, задействован ряд элементов, укоренившихся в многовековой традиции английского пейзажного парка, и в то же время эта практика переосмыслена, в неё привнесены и опыт концептуального искусства, и постмодернистская ирония. Поскольку Финлей не только художник, но и литератор, словесная составляющая играет в его саду главную роль, в частности движение конкретной поэзии, в которой смысл текста и его внешний вид неразделимы. Предметом исследования в настоящей статье является концепция «садовых стихов», или артефактов, включающих в себя объекты, надписи на них и природное окружение, в котором эти объекты находятся.
to rather unflattering conclusions about the modern condition of humanity, culture, and society. As a result, Little Sparta is a space filled with anxiety and provocation, where classical themes and motifs are used to ponder on matters of life and death, war and violence, human imperfections and insecurities, peppered with sparks of Finlay’s peculiar wit.
‘The contemplation of death’ seems to be omnipresent in Little Sparta. In fact, this space is quite reminiscent of a cemetery, as it is filled with objects taking the forms of gravestones, which vary from classical obelisks and vases to modest stelae and plaques. Most of them are adorned with epitaph-like laconic yet deeply meaningful inscriptions, composed by Finlay himself or borrowed from a wide range of sources. The subjects of ‘mourning’ are very different: from homages to artists and philosophers of the past to lamentations on the temporality and frailty of human existence, and from observations on the passing of all things in nature to touching memorials to ships sunken during World War II. In certain cases, Finlay references other burial places, be them real or imaginary, as he does, for example, with Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s cenotaph at the French estate of Ermenonville.
However, what grieved Finlay the most was not the actual human death, but rather the end of the classical culture that, in his view, expressed a certain ‘piety’ seemingly lost in today’s world. This is why, in contrast to Postmodern aesthetics, the artist proclaimed a ‘neoclassical rearmament programme’ and deliberately chose Classicism as the foundation for his work. The aim of this classicizing went far beyond mere stylization: Classicism acted as a means of ‘purifying’ culture of all fuss and superficial detail, and regaining its clarity, austerity, and inherent logical structure. At the same time, Finlay translated the classics into an unmistakably Modernist language that is more easily accommodated by contemporary public. Thus, Classicism served him not as a nostalgic escape from modernity but, on the contrary, as an instrument of acute criticism and debate.
Broadly speaking, Little Sparta presents a new take on the classical theme of death in a pastoral setting – Et in Arcadia Ego, brilliantly covered in Erwin Panofsky’s famous essay of 1955, which Finlay studied and commented on. Finlay offered somewhat surprising interpretations of this theme – for instance, those related to 20th-century warfare and military history. The classical and the modern, the intimate and the universal are interconnected in Finlay’s garden, which he believed should be ‘composed of Glooms and Solitudes and not of plants and trees.’
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Статья посвящена уникальному памятнику ландшафтного искусства второй половины XX века — так называемой «Маленькой Спарте», парку шотландского художника и поэта Яна Гамильтона Финлея (1925-2006). В этом ансамбле, создававшемся с 1966 года на протяжении 50 лет, задействован ряд элементов, укоренившихся в многовековой традиции английского пейзажного парка, и в то же время эта практика переосмыслена, в неё привнесены и опыт концептуального искусства, и постмодернистская ирония. Поскольку Финлей не только художник, но и литератор, словесная составляющая играет в его саду главную роль, в частности движение конкретной поэзии, в которой смысл текста и его внешний вид неразделимы. Предметом исследования в настоящей статье является концепция «садовых стихов», или артефактов, включающих в себя объекты, надписи на них и природное окружение, в котором эти объекты находятся.