#nonconformism

Ivan Marchuk  (Ukrainian/Soviet, b.1936)

The sun rose over the Dnipro,  2003

Of course, we love a brash Gryffindor, charging headfirst into danger with reckless abandon!

Definitely! A bookish and well-read Ravenclaw who only wants to unravel the secrets of the universe is great!

And you can bet that a sweet and gentle Hufflepuff, with a warm drink and a soft sweater, can soothe our achy hearts!!

BUT!!!

We saw a good bit of variation in Gryffindor! Like book-loving and witty Hermione, and the nervous but but Brave Neville!! But I really wanna see this for the other houses too!!

I wanna see a shy and nervous Slytherin that uses their cunning and ambition in quiet and altruistic ways, while keeping to themselves at the back of class and rarely stirring up trouble with members of the other houses!! One who hasn’t given in to prejudice and wants to see the world become a better place for everyone!!

I wanna see a Ravenclaw that values wit and wisdom, but doesn’t love reading, who prefers to learn things in a hands-on way that doesn’t really involve note-taking, and who really doesn’t think they’re all that smart (but they want to grow wiser)!! One who doesn’t look down on other houses for being “stupid” because they’re wise enough to know that everyone has unique abilities!!

And please, give me a Hufflepuff with bloody knuckles and swilling bruises because they keep getting into fights with bullies (and winning), who has a burning wrath and a brilliant mind!! One who’s cheerful and loving but would fight for their friends or die trying because they’re patient toward love but not toward injustice or lies!!

Exposition Art Blog   Leonid Sokov - Nonconformism

“Leonid Sokov is seen as one of the most brilliant representatives of Sots Art. Sokov uses Soviet symbols in combination with the traditions of popular folklore, creating objects coarsely carved out of wood or wrought from metal, which look similar to wooden toys. The work is often cracked or chipped, the wooden pieces fit together poorly and are painted coarsely, giving it the rough image of a handmade item. The artist often uses combinations of popular myths and forms from the East and West, like portraits of Stalin with Marilyn Monroe, the image of the hammer and sickle turning into a dollar sign, or a “Marching” Giacometti across from a bronze Lenin, in his work. This ironic view allows Sokov not only to lower the levels of aggression in the usual collection of Soviet symbols, but also to try and find their similarities with their antitheses: the symbols of western pop-art.”