MAYANA NASYBULLOVA

Palatial architecture, in all its splendor, is not constructed to be accessible. Its scale, modules, and decoration embody a hierarchy of power, where various parts of the décor, especially the most intriguing ones, are entirely off-limits for thorough examination, let alone touch.

Using the contact copying method applied in archaeology, the surfaces of the sculpted decoration of the Tsaritsyno palaces are seized, replicated, and 'sewn' into a patchwork relief. Inaccessible surfaces shift towards the viewer, reassigned to them in a symbolic field through interaction.

The installation includes two reliefs: silicone for tactile interaction and gypsum for creative enhancement using paints and plasticine. The opportunity for detailed visual and tactile examination, interaction, and augmentation of Tsaritsyno’s architectural reliefs removes the status of sacredness and reduces the distance between the space of memory and exhibition visitors.