Exhibition by Alexei Tegin and William Steen

February, 25 – March, 3 2003

Being embodied in human existence, spirit intersects with the world of stereotypes and socially significant beliefs. Living in that kind of world, a person develops and grows illusions of the constancy of the world, the possibility of possessing something, attachments to somebody, the total control above changes. Ego never leaves a place for "casual" and by that it becomes more predicted, building up new symbols of the authority. Inhabitants of New York would have never thought, that the symbol of durability and stability will be destroyed in one moment and disappear in emptiness  where other laws dominate.

The fall of illusions leads either to full degradation of the personality, which causes agression towards the world and the end of idealization of the old beliefs, or to the clearing of space for spiritual work. The last is the source of birth in pure consciousness.  But intentional expectation of such moments of "truth" results in destruction of probability of their realization. This birth is of no sense to the ego, which confidently exsists in the comfort of oblivion and content of possession. For the spirit this sense can not be proved or expressed but is clear and recognised. Any interpretations of that meaning are impossible, as they will be the work of ego and lead to new illusions.

The reference to ancient traditions is not the aim or an exotic collecting of antiques, but the way of comprehending of the collective unconscious with the clarity of vision. Having an ability of transmission and practising spiritual work, an artist embodies this comprehension in one of the forms of art. In this case, the photograph and installation are not aesthetic objects, but the means of realization of connections and passing of  knowledge coded in accordance with a more clear visual language.

Why is the demonstration of this work necessary? First of all you need to see that it is not about showing results. Its  meaning is the creation of space for the subsequent recognition of the flow of knowledge. But this space is not constant, it changes and exists beyond physical walls of the exposition. It is the matter of perception. The purpose of demonstration is neither an aesthetic pleasure, nor understanding of the reasons and motives of the artist’s work. It would mean birth of new illusions. Its purpose is to open an ability in the spectator to have and insight into the pure consciousness and to make a connection with spirit.

The exhibition presents photographs and installation by two artists - from Russia and America - Alexey Tegin and William Steen, who work with the ideas of primary inconstancy of life and liberation, practising respect for life and passage through it at death.

Emets Eugenia