a series of illustrations based on the novel Defilade in Moscow by Vasyl Kozhelianko
The visual language of this project is based on the aesthetics of the defilade as a solemn military march, the formation of orders, symmetry and synchronization of movements, and the repeatability of the silhouette as the main module, which is reproduced many times. We explore the formation of the basic element — the figure of a warrior, its metamorphosis, and sculptural nature.
The novel by Vasyl Kozhelianko impresses with its multi-level text structure, the intersection of epochs, the coexistence of different aesthetics, and the panoramic vision of the world. And also, with the never-ending wars, one war flowing into another, and the cyclical nature of history. Shields, spears, and cavalry coexist and intersect with modern weapons, aviation, and future space wars. To “translate” this novel into a visual language, we have chosen letterpress printing technique and created several dozens of seals with images that are used to create the stories. Each print seems to be similar to the previous one, but at the same time it is unique. We change the scale and angle of view: from large compositions formed from many separate prints to a single image of a silhouette that we look at up close, as if through a microscope. From macro to micro and vice versa. In the end, everything is swallowed up by chaos, in which stories, epochs, aesthetics, and worlds intertwine.