The installation “Electric Aliens” is a part of the project that started with Andrey Bartenev’s performance at the Alternative Miss World Contest at the Shakespeare's Globe Theater in London in 2004. As planned by the organizers, every artist who is ready to impress the jury with the originality of his image can take part in the event. During the performance, Andrey Bartenev, dressed in the most recognizable for popular culture alien costume, was brought to the stage, thus it appeared he was floating above it. The image of unearthly origin, which the artist has tried on, corresponds with his artistic mythology: the alien presented combines characteristic absurdity, provocation and showiness. Bartenev, who is used to shocking the public, enjoys the atmosphere of a carnival. The artist’s desire to create energy-filled shows and loudly declare himself was manifested in his works with numerous references to cosmic subjects.

The installation from the Museum's collection consists of three alien figures commensurable with human height. Their bodies are made of reflective fabric specially designed by NASA for space travel. Andrey Bartenev plays with hackneyed ideas about extraterrestrial life: meeting stereotypical images in flesh makes the viewer feel like he is introduced to something unknown and provocatively new. Displaying of the installation involves a mirror tunnel in which the luminous figures are infinitely reflected, engaging the viewer in an emotional game, where the familiar echoes the unknown, and real resonates with imaginary.

Anastasia Maltseva