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      (E-E) Evgenij Kozlov: Leningrad 80s >>

(E-E) Evgenij Kozlov
“Новая Классика • New Classicals.”

Works on canvas and bus stop signs, 1989/1990
Pictures and documentation: Hannelore Fobo, 2019

Page 1: Introduction
Page 2: Kozlov's Text from 1993
Page 3: Studio Views
Page 4: Silkscreen Prints, 1995-1997
Page 5: Exhibitions



At the beginning of the 1990s, (E-E) Evgenij Kozlov wrote a short text about the cycle of works ‘New Classicals’. The text is written on a page taken from a sketchbook the artist used for drawings in 1991 and 1992. The remaining pages of the sketchbook contain only texts and notes, this one being the second. As the first note is dated 1993 and the later notes 1994, it seems plausible to date this text to the year 1993.

The ‘New Classicals’ text displays a number of corrections which show that the artist had not yet fully developed its concept when he started to write it down. Using a pencil allowed him to erase certain expressions he considered not congruent enough with the concept. As a consequence, a number of empty spaces appear within the sentences. But in most cases, Kozlov simply crossed out such words, and he also inserted new ones or even sentences above the lines. In some cases, he added alternative terms in brackets. Whenever possible, the English translation sticks to the original layout so that the reader can follow the author's stream of thought. Editor's notes are added in square brackets. For instance, a difficulty arises with Russian небо / nebo, which can be translated as either ‘sky’ or ‘heaven’.

The headline of the text is Задача / Zadacha, which I translated as ‘The Task’. It should be completed by ‘I set myself with this series of works’. The word Zadacha itself is not immediately catching one‘s eye, and I would assume that Kozlov wrote it down as an afterthought once he had laid out the scheme. In fact, the first sentence of the text already defines the artist's task:

    When I created the series of paintings ‘New Classicals’ [Novaya Klassika / Новая Классика] (13), I was not looking at those outer, visible forms, ideas, or symbols human beings know by tradition – rather, I was examining their basic fundamental inner energetic charge which is working on and together with the general mass of the human energetic field in the sphere framed by the Earth, but also outside the Earth.

Kozlov traced the words Новая Классика with a blue marker, and also the number 13, added in brackets, as he considers this number of great importance for his life. In 1991, he set up a list of people standing in close relation to him whose names are made up of thirteen letters. The list includes his own name Евгений Козлов / Evgenij Kozlov, as well as mine: Hannelore Fobo, but there are also references to places and concepts, such as his studio RUSSKOEE POLEE / The Russian Field and the title of the cycle Новая Классика. The English translation ‘New Classicals’ is a coinage, because in this particular case, ‘New Classicism‘ would wrongly establish a link to a historical period. Yet this coinage miraculously preserves the number of letters: 13.

On the reverse of the page is a single line, defining the historical period which led to the cycle: “Нов Класс”. возникла на пике распада империи. / ‘New Classicals’ emerged at the height of the collapse of the empire. Another page resumes the basic concept of the colours.


(E-E) Evgenij Kozlov ‘New Classicals’. Handwritten text, pencil, marker on paper 40.5 x 29 cm, early 1990s (1993)

(E-E) Evgenij Kozlov ‘New Classicals’. Handwritten text, pencil, marker on paper
40.5 x 29 cm, early 1990s (1993)


(E-E) Evgenij Kozlov ‘New Classicals’. The picture displays the upper part of the reverse of the page. Handwritten text, pencil on paper. 40.5 x 29 cm, early 1990s (1993)


(E-E) Evgenij Kozlov ‘New Classicals’. The picture displays the upper part of the reverse of the page. Handwritten text, pencil on paper.
40.5 x 29 cm, early 1990s (1993)



(E-E) Evgenij Kozlov ‘The Seven Main Colours from People’s Life Spectrum’. Handwritten text, marker on paper 40.5 x 29 cm, early 1990s (1993). The picture displays the upper part of the paper; the rest of the paper is blank.


(E-E) Evgenij Kozlov ‘The Seven Main Colours from People’s Life Spectrum’. Handwritten text, marker on paper
40.5 x 29 cm, early 1990s (1993). The picture displays the upper part of the paper; the rest of the paper is blank.



Transcription of the Russian Text

PAGE 1

Задача

Создавая серею картин “Новая Классика” (13) я рассматривал не внешниЕ видимыЕ традиционно понятные человеку образы-идеи–символы, а их основной главный  внутренний энергетический смысл, производимую ими работу относительно и в сочетании с  общей массой человеческого биополя в пространстве заключающемся в Земле ровно как и вне её.

/ Идея
Мысль 
/ / Знак
Символ
/ / Энергия
Работа
/

Т. е. взаимноработающий поток информации-энергии, поступающий, обрабатываемый и усиливающийЕМЫЙ , человеком


  • Общая масса людей Земли, как единый человек.

- - - поступающая информация.

— энергия, усиленная человеком. Положительно влияющая

на самого человека (Земля) и вне его (Космос)


Необходимо было найти основные  знаки (символы) деятельности человека, понятные и любимые им, +, которые несут в себе положительный заряд и, действуют по системе при на него по принципу Вечного Двигателя:

МУЖЧИНА – ЖЕНЩИНА – ЗЕМЛЯ – РАБОТА – ПРЕКРАСНОЕ. - КОСМОС – БОГ.

Другие: СВЕТ – ЦВЕТ – ФОРМА,  не менее важные, но уже являющиеся составной частью предыдущих – рождаются в самом художнике (или человеке).Бог             ?  фиолетовый – цвет, как ультрафиолетовые лучи не видимые человеком                  

Мужчина

Женщина

Земля

Прекрасное

Работа

Космос

Бог

- красный

- желтый

- зеленый

- синий

- оранжевый

? голубой

?  фиолетовый

– деятельность, сила                                    , кровь, огонь 

– солнце, рождение

– рост, растение (трава, дерево), живая оболочка (кожа) планеты.

 – желание объединиться – слиться с мечтой,  стремление к доступно-недоступному

– погружение, перемещение, движение на космическом глобальном уровне

– небо,      , будущее, жизнь внутри вселенной, стремление в космос.

цвет, как ультрафиолетовые лучи не видимые человеком            

пронизывающие всю Вселенную,

в малых дозах жизненно необходимые

человеку, но благодаря Богу не проникающие

 в человека во всем своем

огромном бесконечном количестве

на небо в ином уровне. Цвет реже других встречающийся в природе и менее других понятный человеку.

ЗАДАЧА-ПОКАЗ ЭНЕРГИЙ

PAGE 1, reverse

“Нов Класс”. возникла на пике распада империи.

PAGE 2

Одна из идей “Новой Классики”  - это выражение основной сущности 7 главных цветов жизненного спектра людей, т.к. каждый из этих цветов несет или имеет свою единственную задачу или идею в жизни человека:

                                                              красный – мужчина

                                                              оранжевый – работа

                                                              желтый – женщина

                                                              зеленый – земля

                                                              голубой – космос

                                                              синий – прекрасное (мечта)

                                                              фиолетовый – Бог




ENGLISH TRANSLATION

PAGE 1

The Task

When I created the series of paintings ‘New Classicals’ [Новая Классика] (13 [letters]), I was not looking at those outer, visible forms, ideas, or symbols human beings know by tradition – rather, I was examining their basic fundamental inner energetic charge which is working on and together with the general mass of the human energetic field in the sphere framed by the Earth, but also outside the Earth.


/ Idea
Thought 
/ / Sign
Symbol
/ / Energy
Work
/

In other words – a stream of information or energy working in an interrelated mode. As it emerges, it is processed and intensifies IS INTENSIFIED by people.


 • The general mass of people on Earth taken as a single human being.

- - - The information emerging.

— Energy intensified by people. It has a positive influence both

on the human being (Earth) and outside human beings (Cosmos).


I had to find those basic signs (symbols) from the sphere of human activity that people understand and love, +, carrying a positive charge and acting upon people according to a system to the principle of the Eternal Mover:

MAN – WOMAN – EARTH – WORK – THE WONDERFUL – COSMOS – GOD.

There are others which are given birth by artists (or people): LIGHT – COLOUR – FORM. They are no less important than the former, but are already part of those.


Мan

Woman

Earth

The Wonderful

Work

Cosmos

God

- red

- yellow

- green

- blue

- orange

? light blue

? violet

– activity, power                                    , blood, fire 

– sun, birth

– growth, plants (grass, tree), living shell (skin) of planets.

 – the desire to unite – to merge with the dream, the pursuit of  the accessible-inaccessible

– immersion, motion, movement on the global cosmic level

– sky [heaven], the future, life within the universe, the drive for the cosmos.

light as ultraviolet light beams invisible for human beings      

penetrating the entire universe.

They are vital for people in small proportions,

but  because of God they are not penetrating people

with all their huge infinite mightiness

[…] in the sky [in heaven] on another level. In nature this colour is less frequent than others, and people understand it to a lesser degree.

THE TASK IS TO DEMONSTRATE THE ENERGY

PAGE 1, reverse

‘New Classicals’ emerged at the height of the collapse of the empire.

PAGE 2

One of the concepts of “New Classicals” is to express the basic essence of the seven main colours from people’s life spectrum, as each of these colours carries out or has its particular task or idea in a human being’s life:

                                                              red – man

                                                              orange – work

                                                              yellow – woman

                                                              green – earth

                                                              light blue – cosmos

                                                              blue – the wonderful (dream)

                                                              violet – God



Page 1: Introduction
Page 2: Kozlov's Text from 1993
Page 3: Studio Views
Page 4: Silkscreen Prints, 1995-1997
Page 5: Exhibitions



Uploaded 27 May 2019
Last updated 2 May 2020