Wonder Without Land

12 Wooster St, New York, 10013
October 30 – December 2, 2019

Orange Art Foundation is pleased to present 'Wonder Without Land' a photography exhibition and immersive experience installation by transnational collaborative duo Kuzma & Ajuan (Kuzma Vostrikov and Ajuan Song). On view from October 30th through December 2nd, an opening reception will commence on Saturday, November 2nd at 5-8pm.

This exhibition serves as a new chapter of their on-going photographic series exploring 'interstellar' narratives, 'Absolutely Augmented Reality', which was recently introduced in part during the Portal Governor’s Island Art Fair, September 2019. 

'Wonder Without Land' showcases a selection of 20 photographs, a multimedia projection and an immersive installation comprised of various elements utilized in the theatrical staging of the duo’s highly stylized metaworld. 

Stemming from long historical power cultures, Kuzma and Ajuan's Eurasian heritage have come together in this symbiotic narrative where imaginary worlds from childhood stories meet East Asia’s ancient traditional theatre, modern painter renderings from René Magritte, Van Gogh, Picasso and Dali’s fantastical worlds, together with the contemporary orchestrations of Michel Gondry, Tarkovsky and Yayoi Kusama. In this process they use these “references as a reverence” in the construction of their hybrid visionary world.

Within the constraints of their respective dominating societies, Kuzma & Ajuan found “a place to display our magical world” and “segments of language where we understand each other”. This common territory enhanced by their collective productivity and work ethic, brings transcultural commentary on their perceptions of reality. 

'Wonder Without Land' submerges the audience into a beautified and grotesque dreamscape exploring themes in childhood memory, construction of identity, discovery of sensory experiences and storytelling in an overtly digitized and commercially-driven society.

This exhibition is curated by Coco Dolle, under her moniker Milk and Night known for facilitating transgressive artistic conversations in the alternative communities. Her curatorial work has been featured in Forbes, Observer, Cool Hunting, ArtNet News, VICE, and Time Out New York.

Kuzma and Ajuan, also known as Kuzma Vostrikov and Ajuan Song, are a collaborative duo of transnational visual artists using photography and multimedia installations to create highly stylized theatrical narratives. Their work has been featured in White Hot Magazine, Hunger TV, Flaunt Magazine, L'Oeil de la Photographie, and Vogue Italia.

'Wonder Without Land' will be on view at 12 Wooster Street New York, NY through December 2nd. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 12-6pm and by private appointment.

For press materials, please contact: Nathalie Levey, Color Brigade Media, nathalie@colorbrigademedia.com

Click here to download the press release

PRESS

Kuzma & Ajuan - There is a lobster on the phone that you may like to dial, Metal Magazine, Nov 2019

Anthony Haden-Guest + Arantxa Araujo perform Wonder Without Land at the Orange Art Foundation, Artnet New, Nov 2019

Wonder Without Land: Interstellar Photography, Art and Object, Nov 2019