06 Dec Euvgeniy Samborskij: “I still don’t have a clue to my own artwork”
Versatility of his works in a strange way co-exists with modesty. Next — on emotions and creation.
Painting, performances, installations, sculptures — what came first, and what was chosen consciously?
Well, of course, painting was first — I still paint a lot.
Why don’t many of your works (including paintings) have a name?
I didn’t think of that. I don’t name them on purpose. If there’s a name, I let it be — i.e. if it comes up in my mind because of some intellectual processes and passes selection that balances all the components — censorship, banality, relevance — I name it, and if not — I don’t.
What is the most important for you — the image or the idea? Do you distinguish these two concepts in your work? Or are they complementary elements?
I still don’t have a clue to my own work. In general I work with the sequential method, but unconscious and spontaneous practices happen too. Concerning «the image or the idea», it’s impossible to distinguish these two issues, because idea and its realization are the essential parts of the work — and it’s the only way to create a piece of art. The idea is valuable to the extent it is interesting, profound, original, relevant and how good it is embodied in a certain medium.
You’ve been to many countries. Where it was the best for you to work? Why?
For the time being — in Poland. I went there for scholarship programs that let me forget about making a living — if we’re talking about financial issues. And, probably, in Lviv — I felt comfortable there, though a bit missed people with common ideology and interest.
As they say, a man seeks a better fate like a fish seeks deeper water. And what about the artist?
I can only speak for myself. Now I am trying to find my own way, i.e. doing my best to muffle all the voices in my head, to understand and describe the things that interest me deep inside. That’s, probably, has been my main deliberate search over the last two or three years. I keep thinking that as soon as I find it everything will fall into place. It’s like when you are trying to fit a wrong piece of a puzzle: you look at the picture for a while, realize your mistake and throw the wrong piece away.
What emotions usually come to people when they look at your works? How different are they from what you strived for?
Emotions are different as different people are able to see my works.
What does interest you more: the act of creation or the influence of art on a viewer?
It’s hard to compare these two things. I can’t say that I’m curious about the act of creation — just some thoughts come to my mind and make me want to do something. And I am not curious about it — I rather need to share it with people. As regards to the dialogue of the work and the viewer, I understand that I am responsible for my behavior and works, and of course I try to express my opinion as I want in order to reveal my thoughts to the viewer.