Nikita Seleznev. NORMA

Nikita Seleznev invited his audience to reflect on the pressures and complexities of contemporary life, a world defined by uncertainty. For the artist, the act of creation is not just an aesthetic endeavor but a profound, deeply human response to these changing times. Craftsmanship, in his hands, becomes a form of resilience, a tangible expression of human endurance. Seleznev’s exploration of handcrafted processes finds life in “NORMA,” an exhibition that spans an eclectic array of works, including mixed-media graphic wall works, concrete sculptural busts, and animation.

Seleznev’s large-scale works—cracked concrete slabs mounted on the wall—invoke the faded remnants of ancient humankind achievements. Their weathered surfaces showcase the historical remnants of the 20th century, evoking cycles of rebirth and redefinition that have defined modern history. They serve as visual aides-mémoire, offering a window into the artist’s internalized landscape, moving from St. Petersburg to New York City. On the cement-laden craquelure, Seleznev paints ubiquitous iconography—birds, skulls, and the word “HEAVEN.” With delicate precision, he has conceptualized a visual language that channels his feelings of this juncture in his life, using both imagery and text to communicate the emotional frenzy of his recent emigration journey.

The concrete busts are equally charged with personal significance. They stand as intimate reflections of Seleznev’s own experiences navigating a world in flux. Today, he faces a whole new set of challenges; adapting to a radically different socio-economic and political reality in the United States. If you can “make it” in New York City, you can make it anywhere, or so the saying goes. While the contexts of his former and new home differ, the encounters remain universal: desire for agency, self-preservation, and an understanding of one’s own place in the world. The busts bear expressions of strain—eyes swollen, and cheeks marked with dark, purplish-blue hues—yet they still stand strong. These figures act as powerful counterpoints to the forces that seek to erase and sanitize the complexity of personal affect. Although exposed, they are resilient.

The title of the exhibition, “NORMA,” and all the works within it, offer a quiet yet powerful reflection on the artist’s relationship with societal norms. At its heart is a single-channel animation, a collaborative effort between Seleznev and his longtime friend, architect Grigory Baluev. The work is crafted through intricate, predominantly physical processes—each sculpture and wall work in the exhibition was scanned and digitally manipulated using 3D software to populate the rich backdrop of the animated world. The animation follows a "day-in-the-life" narrative, inhabited by two protagonists. Together, they bathe, eat, tattoo, embrace, and reflect on the quiet moments of their everyday existence. The work purposefully avoids defining the societal norms within this world, choosing instead to explore their absence and the open space it creates. As both a word and a name, NORMA embodies inherent ambiguity. Rather than designing a world that is normal, Seleznev focuses on capturing the essence of abnormality—something that, in his view, represents the beautiful, unique nature of a life filled with hope. In this space, difference becomes a source of possibility, inviting viewers to rethink the boundaries of the "norm" and embrace the freedom that lies beyond.