The Something Machine, a unique art gallery, has become the new base for Russian artists Dmitry Okruzhnov and Maria Sharova, who fled Russia in opposition to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Leaving behind their studio, they now create monumental abstract works in a light-filled space adjacent to a gas station in Long Island. Curator Jeffrey Uslip has previously navigated political sensitivities in art and is excited about collaborating with the couple, who demonstrate extraordinary talent despite the challenges they faced before leaving Russia.
"We threw our television away in 2014," after Russia illegally annexed Crimea, Sharova tells The Art Newspaper.
Uslip had already ordered three paintings for shipment from Okruzhnov and Sharova in 2021, leading to their eventual collaboration.
They left their studio in a Soviet-era Constructivist house of culture called Nardom, seeking refuge to continue their artistry after the invasion.
Okruzhnov stayed out of the public eye to avoid being caught in Vladimir Putin's mobilisation and sent to the front.
Collection
[
|
...
]