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Anna Fedorova. Young russian artist from Lisbon at Art Center Caravel.
Updated: Sep 2, 2021
At first glance Anna`s work appears delicate, certainly precise, but also sparse and elegant. You could easily be seduced into thinking it simple. However, a more inquisitive search for her hidden narratives reveals profound concepts adroitly whispered:
Patience
Hair of flame suggests the passion beneath, but the hand gesture and downward cast expression shows the control of patience awaiting the moment for its release…
Intimacy
The pair to the above, Patience is rewarded with the kiss of intimacy.
Rebuff
A whimsical bar scene we are all familiar with…the approach of a stranger and the tortuous nature of the practiced pick-up line. Clearly his approach and line wasn’t good enough and instead he receives the gesture of “Whatever!”….. fully deserved Im sure!
Persephone
Here is a modern depiction of the classic scene from mythology symbolized by a grouping of pomegranates, contemplated by a female figure. It was the pomegranate that forewarned Persephone ate in the Underworld, after being seduced there by Hades, which captured her for six months of every year for eternity… the symbol of fruitfulness and fertility… and here she stands hovering with indecision…
Sacred Love
Clasped hands, a bouquet of roses and a Cross… further explanation not needed I think!
Wingéd Heartbeat
Here Anna has produced a complex image the narrative of which does not readily emerge at once… we have the ribcage and spinal column of a human skeleton… within, instead of a heart we have a red coloured bird (a finch?)… a stethoscope without is applied to listen to the sounds within…beating wings… the fluttering of the heart…
In native American cultures the finch is associated with tidings of joy and happiness and celebration. In Europe in the Middle Ages they were thought simple as they were easily caught for cage birds or for the cooking pot. This image suggests several lines of narrative. What do you think?
Abundant Virtue
A delightful drawing of a headless winged female nude of goddess –like proportions, kneeling and gathering a bouquet in her arms, a kingfisher bird, a symbol of peace, promising prosperity and love, and is connected to Jupiter and therefore abundance and wealth.
The kingfisher was known to the Greeks as the `halcyon´ and gave its name to that period of the year of calm weather seven days before and after the winter solstice when this bird nested and incubated its eggs.
The Welsh poet William Henry Davies wrote
“ It was the rainbow gave thee birth,
And left thee all her lovely hues.”
So maybe this is a depiction of the goddess Iris, the goddess of the rainbow…
Cefyn Embling-Evans, ART CURATOR
