Alexey Kallima

Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans

September 4 - October 18, 2008
540 West 26th Street

Press Release

Alexey Kallima will present a new body of work for his first solo gallery exhibition in New York. A refugee from Grozny, Chechnya, Kallima fled to Moscow shortly after the Russian invasion in 1994. The artist frequently references the effects of this turmoil in his politically-charged paintings and installations. For this exhibition, Kallima will present a group of new large scale paintings and a dynamic installation referencing the current Russian police state.

Although Alexey Kallima has moved beyond the traditional academic training he received at the University of Krasnodar towards a more expressive language, he acknowledges the monumental character and principles of historical painting in his work, which examines the ongoing Russian/Chechen conflict and his personal and highly political response as a refugee. A series of paintings and drawings, Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans depicts young woman in varying stages of parachuting that recall the segregated teams Kallima observed as a child. While Russian propaganda maintains that the conflict is over, the Chechen economy has been paralyzed and segregation is still prevalent. Kallima's work imagines a utopian world where ethnicity does not temper equality. His use of perspective and expressive brushstroke reveals his interest in representing the heroism of the Chechen people and his affection towards them.

In the South Gallery, Kallima will construct a site specific installation referencing the current state of many Chechens living in Russia who do not feel free to reveal their identities for fear of being persecuted by the forceful Russian state. Kallima will paint a mural on the wall that is only visible in blacklight.

Alexey Kallima was born in Groznyy in 1969 and currently lives and works in Moscow. Upon graduation from the University of Krasnodar he opened the France Gallery. His work has been shown in numerous exhibitions worldwide including the Moscow Biennial, Moscopolis at Espace Louis Vuitton in Paris, and Russia at Whitebox in New York.

For further information about Alexey Kallima or the gallery, please visit our website at www.LehmannMaupin.com, or you may contact Stephanie Smith at Stephanie@LehmannMaupin.com or 212 255 2923. On view at our Bowery gallery (201 Chrystie Street) is Jennifer Steinkamp from 7 September - 18 October 2008.
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Artists in this exhibition

• Alexey Kallima

Press

• New York Magazine, Artist Alexey Kallima Chutes and Scores

Exhibition Works

ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal and sanguine on canvas 29.53 x 43.31 inches 75 x 110 cm LM11710


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal and sanguine on canvas 82.68 x 108.27 inches 210 x 275 cm LM11695


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal and sanguine on canvas 59.06 x 118.11 inches 150 x 300 cm LM11697


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal and sanguine on paper 8.27 x 11.42 inches 21 x 29 cm LM11709


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal and sanguine on canvas 82.68 x 110.63 inches 210 x 281 cm LM11711


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal, chalk and sanguine on paper 43.31 x 29.53 inches 110 x 75 cm LM11701


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal on paper 29.53 x 43.31 inches 75 x 110 cm LM11702


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal and sanguine on paper 43.31 x 29.53 inches 110 x 75 cm LM11700


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal, acrylic, chalk and sanguine on canvas 59.06 x 98.43 inches 150 x 250 cm LM11696


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 acrylic, coal and sanguine on canvas 59.06 x 98.43 inches 150 x 250 cm LM11698


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal and sanguine on canvas 59.06 x 59.06 inches 150 x 150 cm LM11699


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal, chalk and sanguine on paper 19.69 x 25.59 inches 50 x 65 cm LM11703


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal on paper 23.43 x 33.07 inches 59.5 x 84 cm LM11705


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal and chalk on paper 29.53 x 43.31 inches 75 x 110 cm LM11706


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal and chalk on paper 29.53 x 43.31 inches 75 x 110 cm LM11707


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal, chalk and sanguine on paper 27.56 x 39.37 inches (paper) 70 x 100 cm LM11708


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal on paper 29.53 x 43.31 inches 75 x 110 cm LM11712


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal and sanguine on paper 29.53 x 43.31 inches 75 x 110 cm LM11713


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal and sanguine on paper 29.53 x 43.31 inches 75 x 110 cm LM11714


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal and sanguine on canvas 76.77 x 342.52 inches 195 x 870 cm LM11718


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal and sanguine on paper 11.81 x 16.54 inches 30 x 42 cm LM11743


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal and sanguine on paper 11.81 x 16.54 inches 30 x 42 cm LM11744


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal and sanguine on paper 11.81 x 16.54 inches 30 x 42 cm LM11745


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 coal and sanguine on paper 11.81 x 16.54 inches 30 x 42 cm LM11746


ALEXEY KALLIMA From the series "Chechen Women's Team of Parachute Jumping and Its Virtual Fans", 2008 black-light sensitive ink on wall dimensions variable LM11775