Artist: Alex Garikovich

Year Completed: 2022

Medium: Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

Size: 24x16 in

Shipping From: Georgia (International)

Additional Information:

In the series "Creation of the World," artist Alex Garikovich explores the process of the emergence of false ideas and their influence on humanity. The artist attempts to trace how science deniers, dictators, quacks, anti-vaxxers, and cult creators gain followers and establish their power by manipulating people's fears.

The artwork "Elephants Have Gone" is a metaphor for civilization dying from its barbarism. The priming of societal consciousness, and the rejection of scientific ideas, research, and facts by the masses, can lead humanity to self-destruction, the destruction of our planet's ecosystems, and the eradication of biological diversity.

In the works "Idol 1" and "Idol 2," the artist shows how an ideology based on lies infiltrates consciousness and society. A society nurtured on anti-scientific ideas breeds totalitarianism and sometimes descends into ordinary fascism. Ideology slowly changes human nature, destroys social trust, unleashes wars, and turns creativity into propaganda. Propaganda provokes people by exploiting their weaknesses and playing on their most primitive ones - fear: fear of war, cold, the future, and hunger. The main task of propaganda is to tarnish and discredit all the institutions of modern civilization and drown the truth in the noise of disinformation.

"Creation of the World" calls for mindfulness and critical thinking to ensure our collaboration in achieving a more sustainable future for all living beings on Earth.

About the Artist:

Alex Garikovich is a contemporary artist who works with various art techniques, from traditional painting to video art. Alex's artworks explore severe social themes and problems of states that are close and familiar to him, Russia, where he was born, and Ukraine, where since 2004, he has often lived, traveled, worked, and actively participated in various art events. The central theme of the work is a person who has acquired "learned helplessness", and who himself deprives of happiness and freedom. Since March 2022 Alex has lived and worked in Tbilisi, Georgia, his current project is called Eternal February.

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