SPACE 4 : IMPERFECT ICONS BY ASTER DENISENKO

Exhibition dates. 19 - 30 Oct 2022
Opening Reception : Thur 20 Oct 2022, 6:00 - 8.30pm.

Imperfect Icons

‘Imperfect Icons’ is a series of paintings that explore personal iconography. Denisenko’s interest in icons was sparked by the influence of being raised with Russian Orthodox religious iconography, having the childhood impression of icons being what was perfect, unobtainable - almost mythical. In adolescent and early adulthood the ‘icon’ was synonymous with pop culture heroes before becoming a mode of self-curation - being one's own icon from a fashion/style standpoint.  Now icons have become cherished family and friends, specifically family. While working on this series Denisenko’s historic family farm established by her Russian migrant grandparents was sold, bringing an end to a family era spanning 63 years. Seeing members of an inner circle through a lens of maturity that recognises how they have shaped others and herself she sees them as expressions of "wabi sabi" - perfectly imperfect. They have known both joy and pain, have accepted themselves for who they are, and while not always angelic, they are authentic, real, whole and inspired. 

The Catalogue

The Artist

Aster Denisenko is an emerging visual artist that resides on the lands of the Boon Wurrung in  Euroe Yroke (St Kilda). Drawing on her rich experiences through varied creative disciplines, including fashion and classical music; Denisenko’s practice centres on finding the balance between beauty and dissonance. Her visual practice utilises shape and bold colour to both build and disassemble the figure. Creating likeness, particularly through capturing personality through colour, she creates portraits through the distillation of form into planes. Her portraits and figures move beyond replicating the physical to capturing personality and move beyond likeness to an ideal.