23-24 MARCH
24-HOUR EDITION DROP: VERA KOCHUBEY
Vera Kochubey
LOVE YOUR FUCKIN SELF
Estimated delivery time: 4 - 6 weeks
- Unframed- Sold Out- 250,00 €
- Framed- Sold Out- 360,00 €
24-HOUR EDITION DROP I VERA KOCHUBEY
23-24 MARCH 2023
6-6 PM CET
Vera Kochubey produces strong black and white large-scale statement paintings where words fully dominate the canvas in addition to vivid, colorful works with repeated patterns. Born in 1986 in Russia, Kochubey relocated to Berlin in 2011. Their personal artistic methods were influenced by the New York art of Warhol, Basquiat, and Haring during the 1980s. Kochubey's works are replete with autobiographical, psychedelic, and queer content. Pop expressionism, conceptual art, pop art, and art brut.
ABOUT THE WORK
"LOVE YOUR FUCKIN SELF is the essence of my life's philosophy. It’s a simple message that means the world. It’s the statement that brings you instantly to your core self. Instantly brings you integrity. A short and effective reminder of what is truly important in life. It's a unifying message for everyone—white, black, gay, or straight—that without self-love, we are nothing but monsters. Every person on earth needs to fucking love themselves. I dedicate this painting to every misfit, every weirdo, and every human."
– Vera Kochubey
ABOUT THE EDITION
All 24-HOUR EDITION DROP editions come with a Certificate of Authenticity signed and numbered by the artist on the back of the print.
ABOUT THE FRAME
The frame is black spruce wood with acrylic glass that has 84% UV protection. Framed dimensions are 63 x 83 cm; 24.8 x 19.9 in.
ABOUT THE 24-HOUR EDITION DROP
The 24-HOUR EDITION DROP is a concept that allows artists to sell an unlimited number of physical editions within a limited time frame of 24 hours on EXPANDED.ART. Each 24-HOUR EDITION DROP edition will be available for 24 hours only, then never again.
ABOUT THE EDITION NUMBER
The editions are numbered randomly, i.e., the edition number is not chronologically assigned to the time of order receipt. All 24-HOUR EDITION DROP prints are made to order. Each artwork will be produced and signed specifically for each client; therefore, the artwork is not eligible for return.
24-HOUR EDITION DROP I VERA KOCHUBEY
23-24 MARCH
6 PM CET - 6 PM CET
Vera Kochubey produces strong black and white large-scale statement paintings where words fully dominate the canvas in addition to vivid, colorful works with repeated patterns. Born in 1986 in Russia, Kochubey relocated to Berlin in 2011. Her personal artistic methods were influenced by the New York art of Warhol, Basquiat, and Haring during the 1980s. Kochubey's works are replete with autobiographical, psychedelic, and queer content and depict elements of pop expressionism, conceptual art, pop art, and art brut.
ABOUT THE WORK
“LOVE YOUR FUCKIN SELF is the essence of my life's philosophy. It’s a simple message that means the world. It’s the statement that brings you instantly to your core self. Instantly brings you integrity. A short and effective reminder of what is truly important in life. It's a unifying message for everyone—white, black, gay, or straight—without self-love, we are nothing but monsters. Every person on earth needs to fuckin love themselves. I dedicate this painting to every misfit, every weirdo, and every human.” – Vera Kochubey
CERTIFICTAE OF AUTHENTICATION
The back of each edition contains a Certificate of Authenticity that is both signed and numbered by the artist.
ABOUT THE FRAME
The frame is black spruce wood with acrylic glass that has 84% UV protection. Framed dimensions are 63 x 83 cm; 24.8 x 19.9 in.
ABOUT THE 24-HOUR EDITION DROP
The 24-HOUR EDITION DROP is a concept which allows artists to sell an unlimited amount of physical editions within the limited time frame of 24 hours on EXPANDED.ART. Each 24-HOUR EDITION DROP edition will be available for 24 hours only, then never again.
ABOUT THE EDITION NUMBER
The editions are numbered randomly, i.e. the edition number is not chronologically assigned to the time of order receipt. All 24-HOUR EDITION DROP prints are made to order. Each artwork will be produced and signed specifically for each client, the artwork therefore is not eligible for return.
Russian performance artist, painter, and fashion designer Vera Kochubey moved to Berlin in 2011. Kochubey holds a Bachelor's degree in psychology but has consistently explored her painterly practice for more than 15 years. "I did not understand the world I live in," Kochubey wants to overcome this fear and clarify for herself what life is and how the world works through the path of creating art.
The artist has a particular penchant for portraits and works with expressionistic resemblance using rough brushstrokes and bold colors. Kochubey’s paintings and performances revolve around autobiographical and spiritual topics and celebrate queer culture on an individual as well as global level.
In 2016, Kochubey had her first solo exhibition, "New Kingdom," at The Art Scouts Gallery in Berlin. She has also exhibited at art fairs, such as Art Basel.
Photo: Tanja Schnitzler
Bold Statements and Pop Art
VERA KOCHUBEY: HIGH VIBRATIONAL ART
EXPANDED.ART: Vera Kochubey, you describe yourself as an alien, who tries to make sense out of the world through art. How has art helped you finding answers to your questions?
Vera Kochubey: Art mainly keeps my curiosity alive. The more I work and express myself, the more questions I find to explore.
EXPANDED.ART: As an autodidact artist, where do you look for inspiration and which names from art history impacted your art practise the most?
VK: I love American pop art. I love how bright and powerful it is, and I find it very direct and easy to grasp. I love Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring for the visual language they speak, which is very close to my heart.
EXPANDED.ART: You moved to Berlin in 2011. How has living in Berlin for the last decade shaped you as an urban artist?
VK: I was heavily influenced by the techno scene of the city, especially the culture around Berghain. As a city landmark, Berghain Club has shaped me as an artist and as an individual. The rave liberated my spirit.
EXPANDED.ART: You have had shows in established European galleries and collaborated with many famous contemporary artists. What impact did it have on your career as a self-taught artist?
VK: I was very lucky to meet great artists both online and offline. They shared the essence of their wisdom and experience with me, which, to me, was worth more than years of any formal art education.
EXPANDED.ART: Why do you use words in your artworks and what does it mean for you?
VK: Words have incredible power. For me, words and images have double the power. I have invented my own practice revolving around it; it's called "Spiritual Calligraphy": free-hand, bold lines, and chunky letters that are visually pleasing and deliver an important message with modern aesthetics.
EXPANDED.ART: You are famous for working on a large scale, most of your paintings are more than 2 meters high. How does it help you to bring your statement to the audience?
VK: I love to take up space, and I love everything to be big and chunky. So I wanted my art to always be bigger than me. It reminds me of Soviet poster art that impressed me during my childhood growing up in Russia.
EXPANDED.ART: Your artwork FREEDOM has been acquired by a museum. What was the inspiration for that painting?
VK: I wrote the word FREEDOM in various languages on the canvas: Russian, English, German, and Belorussian. My goal was to show the cultural unity and values that are above all hate and hatred.
EXPANDED.ART: What kind of legacy would you like to leave behind?
VK: I would love to create more public art and total art installations, in which the public can totally immerse themselves. And I want to be remembered for bold statements such as LOVE YOUR FUCKIN SELF.