Seizure of territory

Andrey Ostashov • Series "2020"
Bronze, granite. 26?28, h=69 cm

This image is charged with a powerful, martial energy, yet it simultaneously embodies feminine softness and allure. The figure is depicted with knees bent, firmly supported by her feet. A certain symmetry—characterized by a natural irregularity—lends harmony to the entire composition: the legs spread wide, the hands resting on the knees, and the decorative horns on the helmet are all linked in a single symmetrical chain.
The work derives its dynamism from the contrast of fluidly transitioning forms and volumes: the massive helmet atop a fragile neck, the voluminous shoulder guards against a slender waist, and the wide-set knees leading down to feet brought close together. The final stabilizing element is a turtle on a stone slab, upon which the heroine maintains her balance.
The girl wears stylized protective armor with plates at the shoulders and hips, tall boots, and a prominent helmet with sharp-edged guards framing her face. The upward-reaching horns on the helmet are a vital compositional element; while they grant the figure a sense of slender verticality, their supple shape also introduces a uniquely "feminine" plasticity and a fluidity of line. With her eyes half-closed, she seems to be in a state of meditation or performing a sacred rite. Her body is "clustered" with figures of teddy bears and anthropomorphic dolls, imbuing the entire image with a magical and mysterious atmosphere.