The painting series addresses Ms. Marina Fedorova’s views on the environmental problems of the modern world and the issues of preserving life on Earth and maintaining the link between man and nature. The current environmental crisis triggered by the humans’ careless attitude towards nature, causing its pollution and devastation, turns art into a powerful visual instrument capable of initiating a dialogue with the viewers and the society and asking the urgent and obvious questions: how do we really feel amid this crisis and are we actually prepared to do something about it? Perhaps it is easier to accept the existing situation, making a conscious effort to overlook what is happening, disengaging from or adapting to the current reality (Lady in Red), hiding behind huge sunglasses (Garbage), putting up with breathing poisonous air, living in the midst of trash heaps, having our children get used to this order of things, depriving the future generations of pristine nature and subsequently turning it into a virtual reality (Virtual Reality), living in constant denial and convincing ourselves that this is the norm?
The Artist asks daunting and disturbing questions through the choice of images, colours, and subjects. Can the human eye exist without green expanses, centuries-old oaks, and azure seascapes, contemplating only landfills? Can we abandon biodiversity in our never-ending race for technology? One important consideration is the state of mind of a person beginning to drift away from nature and forget that he or she is a part of it and not vice versa. Ms. Marina Fedorova’s paintings remind us of the unity and harmony between man and nature. She is not trying to scare or condemn, but rather encourages us to think whether we are ready to be trashed for the sake of material possessions and be discarded after use just like in Dump, where a female figure, having run its course, turned obsolete, or simply no longer exciting, becomes just another piece of garbage, its owner apparently in need for enhancing his consumer experience with a fresh dose of brand-new items, relations, friends… Little by little we start treating each other as such disposable items, mercilessly exploiting natural resources and human relations alike.
Many of Ms. Marina Fedorova’s paintings reveal the social and spiritual role of female protagonists. Women occupy a special place here for a good reason: since times immemorial, they symbolised fertility and the life-giving force, passing on the ancient traditions. The woman as mother and goddess is the central figure of the Trash Madonna painting. She is pictured with submissively folded hands, no longer holding a baby. Her face is covered with a gas mask – no bright eyes or tender smile to be seen. She is now the patron of the new poisonous times.
The natural inclination of these female characters should be to preserve and bolster life, and therefore protect nature. Our actions should be as harmless as possible for the environment, which doesn’t mean that we should block all feelings and emotions, become biobots and go against our inner self like the heroines of these paintings do.
Perhaps there is still a chance to stop this devastation and self-destruction causing depreciation of both nature and, in essence, ourselves. It is important to save nature’s soul as well as ours, and to remind the humanity of its origins. If we do not protect the diversity of the living world still present on our planet, later a drink of clean water will be an ultimate dream and a barefoot walk on green grass a mere hallucination. Let us hope we will not need to look for a new planet to live on simply because the destruction will render the Earth uninhabitable, having to survive and adapt to the new environment beyond the once green and blue globe (Grass).
Aleksandra Danilovskikh
Art Expert