In this exhibition, Moscow-born artist Elena Ivashkina presents her series “Birds. Characters”, in dialogue with “The Emergence of the Hero”, a conceptual poem by Lev Rubinstein, a key figure of Moscow Conceptualism.

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Each of Ivashkina’s one hundred mixed-media bird portraits—drawn from the landscapes of memory and the everyday life of Moscow courtyards—is paired with one of Rubinstein’s 100 poetic “cards.”

 

These card-poems, a hallmark of Rubinstein’s signature format, treat each line as a distinct emotional gesture, character, or phrase. The visual and literary elements come together to form a layered meditation on identity, collectivity, and the subtle narratives hidden in urban life.

The birds depicted are not simply representations of nature—they evoke human presence, familiar emotions, and fragments of forgotten lives. They might be seen as neighbors in a communal apartment, distant relatives from childhood memories, or anonymous souls passing under our windows. Somewhere among them, perhaps, the hero emerges—uniquely imagined by each viewer.

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The Emergence of the Hero was written in 1986 and appears in Rubinstein’s collection Regular Correspondence. It’s a classic example of his card-based poetry format, where each line is printed on a separate card—blurring the lines between literature, performance, and conceptual art. The poem was later used by Pyotr Mamonov and Zvuki Mu in a performance piece.

Lev Rubinstein is a poet, essayist, and founding figure of Moscow Conceptualism. Known for his sharp, ironic commentary and innovative form, his work continues to influence contemporary Russian literature and art.