A night talk in the studio: an interview with eco-artist Sergey Kozhukhovsky

We are preparing for the “Space Ecology” exhibition and caught Sergey in his studio a few days before installation. It is already night outside, but the work here goes on. We talked about why technology should become art and why space demands our attention.

Elina Papas: Sergey, hi. Tell us, please, what does eco-artist mean?

Sergey Kozhukhovsky: It is someone who, while creating works, thinks about ecological thinking. About ecology.

Elina Papas: So each of your works is something more than just art? It is more of a statement?

Sergey Kozhukhovsky: Yes. Meanings.

Elina Papas: Could we say this work consists of technological artefacts that you, as an artist, have rethought and assembled?

Sergey Kozhukhovsky: Yes, exactly. They are made of unwanted, worn-out components of radio-electronic equipment and mechanical parts. They would have gone to the landfill, but instead they become art. This is a very new story for the Russian art world.

Elina Papas: And your exhibition “Space Ecology” as a whole sounds quite fresh. Tell us about it.

Sergey Kozhukhovsky: We are drawing attention – especially in the year of the 65th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's flight – to the fact that, despite progress, we need to be more careful with the environment. Including the orbit of our Earth.

Elina Papas: That is wonderful. We will be looking forward to the exhibition and hope to see you at the opening.

Sergey Kozhukhovsky: Yes, with pleasure. Bye for now.

The works of Sergey Kozhukhovsky and the project's other artists will be on view very soon:

15 March – opening of the “Space Ecology” exhibition at the Sputnik Museum

In the meantime, take a look at the night studio in the video