Polina Timofeeva
The New (Non)human
This sculpture is an assemblage of simple geometric shapes. The piece is based on the concept behind the computer game Tetris, invented by Soviet programmer Alexey Pajitnov, and a simple walking simulator used in art non-games. The goal of these non-games is allowing players to explore the plot and backstory of the world or character at hand.
The artists also make reference to the Soviet avant-garde utopia of creating a new world and modeling new human beings. The audience is invited to join in a game where they must find geometric shapes located around the Gaza House of Culture and build a new “well-balanced person” on their own.
Polina Timofeeva is an artist and member of the Ministry of Speculative Means (together with Zhenya Belyakova and Andrey Shepel). She studied at the British Higher School of Art & Design in Moscow (Illustration, 2017–19) and the Baza Institute, Moscow (2020), and is currently enrolled at the Chto Delat Vocational Studios of Engaged Art, St. Petersburg. Exhibitions include Three Comrades…, a performance with the Ministry of Speculative Means for Winzavod.Open, the outdoor show Pain, and My New Lover (all 2021); the group show To Baza (2020); Companions, ZDES na Taganke, and a group painting show at Flacon Design Factory (both 2019).