Tatiana Stadnichenko
CARE for me! Herbarium
LdM Gallery presents CARE for me! Herbarium the first chapter of a broader immersive art project by Tatiana Stadnichenko, dedicated to the exploration of the different ways of expressing care through the empathic energy of images.
The concept of caring/taking care has been present in Tatiana Stadnichenko’s works for several years and it originates from her deep desire of “alleviating the pain” of the body and the soul. This desire is, on the one hand, personal and intimate while, on the other hand, it has a collective and global nature: related to the world today profoundly wounded by violence and indifference.
Taking care (of someone or of oneself) is the greatest and most complex act of love that each of us can perform on a daily basis. It is also a cathartic moment that encourages a subtler and empathic communication. It is possible to express care in a myriad of ways: for this exhibition, the artist resorts to plants and medical herbs, for their ancient thaumaturgic power.
In traditional medical practices, the herbs get in contact with the human body, where they express their curative essence. With this artwork, Tatiana Stadnichenko proposes a metaphor of the same process: she gives the herbs to visitors through the images, visitors are in fact invited to interact with the artworks, communicate with them using all senses and interior channels. It is precisely this interaction that produces the “experience of care” designed for the soul.
CARE for me! Herbarium consists of two main art works, both featuring plants and medical herbs:(1) a selection of prints and (2) a video installation.
(1) With the prints, realized through the technique of gel printing, Tatiana Stadnichenko wishes to capture the energetic entity of each plant, fixing it on paper. This procedure has, first of all, a symbolic value for the artist: as it is the way for her to keep a sort of earthly connection with her motherland. At the same time, it’s precisely the plant’s “spirit” fixed on paper that is the active ingredient of the art project, the one that transmits the act of care to the visitors.
(2) In the second part of the exhibition there are a series of silk prints and a video installation: the video is projected on a white cloth, where the images flow downwards, following the rhythm of a contemplative sound. Through the images and the sound, visitors broaden their perception and therefore the reception of the act of care itself.
Protagonist of this part of the exhibition is the fern – present on the silk prints and printed on the installation’s cloth. Tatiana Stadnichenko has chosen to work with this prehistoric plant because it is known for its purifying power (by efficiently filtering the air in our interiors from pollution and fine dust). Moreover, in its many variations, fern, since ancient times, is a subject for myths and legends, symbolizing mystery and infinite knowledge. Associated with the celebration of Saint John’s Eve, in many European cultures, fern has often a transcendental meaning: it is believed to offer protection and connection to the Divine, to promote intuition, to harmonize and balance energetic fields, to symbolize spiritual growth and rebirth. Most likely, fern was the first piece of flora to which men and women directed their request “CARE for me!”
Gallery Supervisor: Špela Zidar
Intern: Catherine Amis, Gretta Lemke
LdM Gallery, Via de’Pucci 4 – Firenze
Opening: October 30th, 5pm-8pm
Duration October 30th to November 14th
Opening hours Mon, Tue, Fri 4-7pm, Wed, Thu 10am-2pm
The LdM Gallery is a project by Istituto Lorenzo de’ Medici, an interdisciplinary space where academic research and artistic experimentation meet within a professional setting.