DEMETRICISM
Certosa di San Giacomo, Capri, Italy
New solo exhibition “Demetricism” is on view from April 19 through May 31 at the Certosa di San Giacomo, located in the buildings of the oldest monastery in Capri, built in 1371. it's being held in collaboration with Regional Directorate of National Museums of Campania and under the patronage of the City of Capri.
As the title already suggests, this exhibition is dedicated to the artist's signature technique, which has been called “demetricism”. The exposition will be divided not only by the standard frames of the halls, used to be monks' cells in the past, but also by art directions: from figurative to abstract. With this exhibition the artist summarizes one of the stages in the comprehension of his own art, partly turning to works that are not typical of the last period, but at the same time demonstrating the future direction of motion, full confidence in his own method and adherence to his technique. Most of the sculptures were created specifically for this exhibition in 2024-2025.
In contrast to “metricism”, based on the strict rhythmic or metrical construction of an artwork, “demetricism” fundamentally seeks to break up the orderliness of elements, with the author adding the illusion of movement to the composition. Starting from the ‘zero point’ of maximum proportionality, Vasily Klyukin begins to deconstruct it and thus, breaking the ideal balance, creates his own equilibrium, resulting in a completely new harmony.
In ‘Abstract’ part of the exhibition Klyukin shows his iconic Crypto series of wall sculptures – the ‘zero point’ itself, which was born during the Venice Biennale in 2019, as well as a continuation of the Puzzles series, first shown at the Osthaus Museum Hagen in Germany. In 2024 sculptures were also shown during the Venice Biennale as part of the European Cultural Center's project “Personal structures” and will be presented on the Florence Biennale 2025. In addition to the usual acrylic paints, the sculptor also resorts to non-trivial materials such as founded objects like microchips or circuit boards, for example, and sometimes uses stabilized “eternal” rose petals.
“Puzzles” series at the same time acts as a bridge or transition from the ‘Abstract’ part of the exhibition to the ‘Figurative’ one. With some works, Vasily Klyukin demonstrates in his ‘demetricistic’ manner the landscapes of what different fragments of the universe might look like if we could capture them. In others, we see not only the abstract outlines, colors and figures, but quite distinct sketches of the artist's memories.
The ‘Figurative’ part of the exhibition is also revealed by the works such as “Nature” and “Flame” which artist calls ‘Ethers’. Here Vasily Klyukin already explores comprehensible human forms, structuring them in his usual technique of polished brass panels. As is known, Empedocles introduced the concept of four elements: Earth, Water, Air and Fire, and Aristotle added to them a fifth element – ‘Ether’, which he called the prime element and of which the heavens and celestial spheres are composed. Klyukin puts a different meaning into this term, for him it is literally man himself. It is no coincidence that the shapes of the sculptures resemble shining airy female outlines that seem to dissolve and ‘mix’ with the other elements, creating a new form of existence in the process.
The diversity of the universe is a frequent theme for reflection in the work of Vasily Klyukin. If you even look at the name of the artist's technique "Demetricism" from this angle, you can trace the connection with the name of the ancient Greek goddess of fertility Demeter, who has many epithets, such as Achaea or Europa. “Mother-Earth Demeter is the original source of inspiration, and everything that has ever been created by all artists throughout time is an interpretation of what has already been created by the Earth itself,” comments Klyukin.
“Demetricism” will be discussed in more detail in the authors' articles in a large general catalogue, which will be entirely devoted to this technique, and of which the photographs of the Capri exhibition will be a significant part.
CERTOSA DI SAN GIACOMO
VIA CERTOSA 10, 80076 CAPRI (NA)
OPENING HOURS:
TU-SU, 10:00 – 16:00
LAST ADMISSION 15:30
As the title already suggests, this exhibition is dedicated to the artist's signature technique, which has been called “demetricism”. The exposition will be divided not only by the standard frames of the halls, used to be monks' cells in the past, but also by art directions: from figurative to abstract. With this exhibition the artist summarizes one of the stages in the comprehension of his own art, partly turning to works that are not typical of the last period, but at the same time demonstrating the future direction of motion, full confidence in his own method and adherence to his technique. Most of the sculptures were created specifically for this exhibition in 2024-2025.
In contrast to “metricism”, based on the strict rhythmic or metrical construction of an artwork, “demetricism” fundamentally seeks to break up the orderliness of elements, with the author adding the illusion of movement to the composition. Starting from the ‘zero point’ of maximum proportionality, Vasily Klyukin begins to deconstruct it and thus, breaking the ideal balance, creates his own equilibrium, resulting in a completely new harmony.
In ‘Abstract’ part of the exhibition Klyukin shows his iconic Crypto series of wall sculptures – the ‘zero point’ itself, which was born during the Venice Biennale in 2019, as well as a continuation of the Puzzles series, first shown at the Osthaus Museum Hagen in Germany. In 2024 sculptures were also shown during the Venice Biennale as part of the European Cultural Center's project “Personal structures” and will be presented on the Florence Biennale 2025. In addition to the usual acrylic paints, the sculptor also resorts to non-trivial materials such as founded objects like microchips or circuit boards, for example, and sometimes uses stabilized “eternal” rose petals.
“Puzzles” series at the same time acts as a bridge or transition from the ‘Abstract’ part of the exhibition to the ‘Figurative’ one. With some works, Vasily Klyukin demonstrates in his ‘demetricistic’ manner the landscapes of what different fragments of the universe might look like if we could capture them. In others, we see not only the abstract outlines, colors and figures, but quite distinct sketches of the artist's memories.
The ‘Figurative’ part of the exhibition is also revealed by the works such as “Nature” and “Flame” which artist calls ‘Ethers’. Here Vasily Klyukin already explores comprehensible human forms, structuring them in his usual technique of polished brass panels. As is known, Empedocles introduced the concept of four elements: Earth, Water, Air and Fire, and Aristotle added to them a fifth element – ‘Ether’, which he called the prime element and of which the heavens and celestial spheres are composed. Klyukin puts a different meaning into this term, for him it is literally man himself. It is no coincidence that the shapes of the sculptures resemble shining airy female outlines that seem to dissolve and ‘mix’ with the other elements, creating a new form of existence in the process.
The diversity of the universe is a frequent theme for reflection in the work of Vasily Klyukin. If you even look at the name of the artist's technique "Demetricism" from this angle, you can trace the connection with the name of the ancient Greek goddess of fertility Demeter, who has many epithets, such as Achaea or Europa. “Mother-Earth Demeter is the original source of inspiration, and everything that has ever been created by all artists throughout time is an interpretation of what has already been created by the Earth itself,” comments Klyukin.
“Demetricism” will be discussed in more detail in the authors' articles in a large general catalogue, which will be entirely devoted to this technique, and of which the photographs of the Capri exhibition will be a significant part.
CERTOSA DI SAN GIACOMO
VIA CERTOSA 10, 80076 CAPRI (NA)
OPENING HOURS:
TU-SU, 10:00 – 16:00
LAST ADMISSION 15:30
19 April – 31 May 2025