Vancouver artist creates new works by locking himself in a giant white cube

Aug 26 2022, 10:45 pm

Vancouver artist Boris Moshenkov makes art to find himself. And sometimes that journey can lead him to some unique situations.

“One of my artistic pursuits is to answer the questions, ‘Who am I?’ and ‘What am I doing here?'” Moshenkov told Daily Hive. “What I do is search deep within myself to find the truth. I help myself remember what I find by making marks on canvas. In turn, you would say that I’m making visual art.”

“Art is a mode that helps us understand ourselves and the world around us better.”

Sometimes understanding the world means being locked away from it for a while, as Moshenkov learned this summer while working on a documentary and art project.

 

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A post shared by Boris Moshenkov (@borismoshenkov)

“I was introduced to Gabriel Kava and the guys behind Peeled Media, Mark Milburn and Mike Decker,” explained Moshenkov. “They are exceptionally talented and accomplished videographers and storytellers. We hit it off immediately and were inspired to create art together.”

The immigrant from former Soviet Uzbekistan and Israel was inspired by many of his creative heroes who spoke about isolation as being the recipe for their greatest work.

Boris Moshenkov

Boris Moshenkov’s i wonder, 2021/Submitted

“I had explored this philosophy in the past, but never to this degree. Simultaneously, I realized that some of my favourite books were the products of imprisoned authors. We borrowed some of these ideas and drafted our hypothesis: artists are more creative under limitations and in isolation.”

Just two weeks after the crew and Moshenkov first met, the contemporary artist began 50 days of isolation inside of a giant white cube. The 1,200 sq ft was freshly painted white.

“One of the points in the thick contract read, ‘If you leave the White Box in the next 50 days you owe us 25 grand.’ So I stayed,” said Moshenkov. “Initially, the room gave me chills as if I were in an insane asylum. However, it didn’t take long for me to find the beauty in it. In fact, this isolation was a gift. I reset my artistic journey with a literal clean slate.”

Boris Moshenkov

Boris Moshenkov/borismoshenkov.com

Moshenkov had access to food, a bathroom and a bed, his laptop and smartphone, and art supplies. He also had a camera that he spoke to twice a day named Wilson. (“He was my journal and my friend.”)

The SpaceX dearMoon project finalist described the isolation experience as “drastically changing” week to week.

“The experience forced me to connect deeper to the unconscious,” Moshenkov shared. “When the world around you gets quiet, your mind and soul get really loud. You hear everything. You dream more.

“I did challenges to test the ‘limitations’ hypothesis. For instance, one week my social apps were deleted. Another week, I turned my phone off. I fasted for a couple of days.”

Boris Moshenkov

Boris Moshenkov’s The Nihilist and the Hedonist, 2022/Submitted

For Moshenkov, the greatest challenge was

the week of silent meditation.

“I didn’t speak, listen to music, communicate with the crew, or consume content,” he explained. I meditated for up to 2.5 hours a day, painted and ate. It was a hard week, but I felt peak clarity and focus.”

Being isolated inside of the giant cube was ultimately an artistic success, as Moshenkov created dozens of unique artworks during his time locked away. They range from large-scale canvases to drawings on paper.

The art will be showcased at Moshenkov’s upcoming exhibition The White Box happening on September 9 at 332 Powell Street.

 

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A post shared by Boris Moshenkov (@borismoshenkov)

“There will be paintings, a couple of surprises and maybe even some documentary footage,” he said. “What’s most important is that I created more meaningful work in 50 days than I have in the past year. I had a few epiphanies and even a revelation.

“It is in our most vulnerable and exposed state that we instinctually add more to our lives. Instead, we must remove. Remove blocks. Remove resistances. Remove distractions. You must act as the sculptor of your psyche. Only then will you find the truth.”

The White Box Art Exhibition

When: September 9, 2022
Time: 7 to 10 pm
Where: 332 Powell Street, Vancouver
Register: Online

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