Alexander Ugay

"I am interested in the time - how the past affects the future

   and vice versa, and how reality is transformed under the

   pressure of these streams.

I am interested in the memory - in personal and collective

  forms of memory space and mythology

I am interested in the social space as a structure, topology,

  and synergy.

I am interested in the future - as the object of art, as there are

  many models of the future in a nonlinear, chaotic motion." 

Born in Kyzlorda, Kazakhstan in 1978.

Ugay is of a generation of artists who prefer to work with new technology to frame personal living experiences and a background of memories. He studied in sea-men college in San-Petersburg, then graduated from Low University in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), where he founded the creative group Bronepoezd (An armoured train) in partnership with Roman Maskalev in 2000. The group produced “cinema-objects” in the form of short experimental film-parables and film-performances that were recorded on 16 mm film by old cameras manufactured in the Soviet period. The whole process of development and montage is carried out manually, and as the result the production quality of the films is unpredictable and nostalgic. Since 2002 Ugay has lived in Almaty and his practice mainly involves photography and video projects both individually and in partnership with the Bronepoezd group, or other artists.

Ugay's main area of interest is the development of history and its relationship with our current situation; as well as the idea that provisional life can be cross-referenced internationally. For example South Kazakhstan is nicknamed 'Texas' because of its rich oil deposits. People who live in this area are also known for their rough independence that they relate to the image of the Texan cowboy. Since 2002, Ugay has been photographing Kazakh Texas whenever he goes there on holiday. In spite of the peculiar local features that exoticise the photographs, the artist believes that the fundamentals of a simple provincial life are similar everywhere in the world. In this sense, the project could be seen as a form of ironic globalizm in which home-developed black and white photographs strive to represent the 'everywhere-ness' of the world's small towns.

While in the series of photographs Two Banks (2006), which was created during Ugay's three month residency at SPACE in London, photographs of iconic London landmarks are merged with those of his home town Kyzilorda, Kazakhstan. These constructed, hand printed images betray the unpredictable nature of their production, blurring and blending location and time. With the river Thames dividing the foreground and background, there is a sense of distance created between the subjects Ugay has brought together. However Ugay has also noted in interview that the subjects are united, as eventually ‘all rivers flow into the sea’.

Adapted from texts by Yulia Sorokina

Alexander Ugay has participated in amongst other exhibitions: Sharjah Biennial 10, Sharjah, 2011; Promises of The Past, Centre Pompidou, Paris, 2010; Ground Floor America, Den Frie Udstillingsbygning / Centre of Contemporary Art, Copenhagen, 2010; Yeosu International Art Festival, Yeosu, 2010; Around the World in 80 hours, Suwonartcenter, Seoul, 2010; Younger than Jesus, New Museum, New York, 2009; Tanz auf dem Vulkan, IFA gallery, Berlin, 2008; Muzykstan, Central Asia Pavillion, 52nd Venice Biennale, 2007; Plug In, Vanabbemuseum, Eindhoven, 2006; The Netherlands and the 9th International Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul, 2005.

For additional information about this artist, visit Mutual Art