Tatyana Zhurkov

Tatyana Vasilievna Zhurkov was born in Kemerovo in 1948. In 1972, she graduated from the Vladimir Serov Leningrad Art School (now N. K. Roerich Saint Petersburg Art School) and then continued her studies at the Leningrad Institute of Theater, Music, and Cinema (now the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts). Immersed in the theater world, she found inspiration in traditional Russian folk costume, reinterpreting and transforming it using various techniques: textiles, papier-mâché, and objects made from diverse materials. In fact, the artist’s first creations were handmade dolls dressed in luxurious embroidered fabrics. At first glance, they appeared traditional, but upon closer inspection, one could notice “glitches in the matrix,” such as an unusual number of arms.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Zhurkov actively participated in apartment exhibitions organized by unofficial artists in Leningrad, including an exhibition of women artists held at the apartment of Igor and Rimma Loginov, Valentin-Maria Til (Samarin), and Felix Drobinsky. In November 1979, she took part in a group exhibition at the Sergo Ordzhonikidze Cultural Center. In the early 1980s, Zhurkov began working in graphic art, creating drawings of stylized female figures in watercolor and pastel. In 1988, together with her husband, painter and graphic artist Igor Zhurkov, she emigrated to the United States, where she continued her studies at the Parsons School of Design in New York.

Zhurkov gained recognition for her phantasmagorical compositions assembled from carefully collected trinkets. She used materials like fabric scraps, buttons, porcelain doll heads, mother-of-pearl, metal, beads, tubes, glass, and small stones, with every detail of her work appearing precious regardless of its actual value. When hit by light, the trinkets cast colorful reflections like stained glass, creating a cinematic effect. Zhurkov used these elements to develop intricate anthropomorphic sculptures and necklaces, the latter also carrying a sculptural quality. Although these objects are typically presented in display cases due to their fragility, they are in fact movable and inspired by children’s toys. Indeed, her strange and mesmerizing sculptures evoke a strong desire to hold them in one’s hands. Still, the image of a vivid toy is only one of many layers of meaning in Zhurkov’s work. Her creations reveal futuristic hybrids, alien beings (Different Galaxies), ancient female deities, and even a hint of eroticism (Sex-Funk-Constructivism). The artist used transparent materials to reveal the inner “biology” of her creatures. This hidden interior is just as captivating as their outward appearance.

Since the mid-1990s, the caterpillar has emerged as a recurring presence in Zhurkov’s work. Its image symbolizes vitality, movement, and the capacity for metamorphosis and rebirth. However, Zhurkov’s caterpillars defy the natural order. They are not merely a step toward becoming butterflies. Instead, they embody a more elevated form of being. Each of the artist’s caterpillars has a unique identity: Ship Caterpillar (1998, SAAM, gift of Norman H. Volk), with sail-like wings, Newborn Caterpillar, reaching forward with its chubby hands, and a caterpillar in the form of a Turkish Train (2000, Giudecca 795 gallery), or, for example, a hybrid of dragonfly and caterpillar. They all have porcelain heads, which give these alien creatures a human touch, simultaneously heightening their sense of strangeness. The artist explained this approach as follows: “It’s important for me to create a connection with the outward appearance of the human being in my works. It is best achieved through porcelain heads: they’re not too serious; they’re simple and very expressive.”

Zhurkov says that she draws inspiration for her futuristic sculptures from genetic engineering. And she in fact acts as an engineer, carefully selecting combinations of various elements and materials to design intricate structures. Although Zhurkov fully developed as an artist after moving to the United States, her work still carries a distinct Russian sensibility and a hint of fairy-tale magic. Combined with her science-fiction vision, this blend gives her artworks a unique expressiveness that sparks the viewer’s imagination.

In 2002, the State Russian Museum held a retrospective at the Stroganov Palace, showcasing Zhurkov’s works for the first time in Russia. In 2004, the artist participated in a residency with master glassmakers in Murano, Italy. This opportunity provided her with fresh inspiration and essential skills to enhance her glass work.

Anastasia Patsey

Translated from Russian by Anna Matveeva