Van O (Ivan Isaev) V. 2
- Editor at Titan Contemporary Publishing
- Dec 12
- 3 min read
Van O (Ivan Isaev) is a conceptual photographer with a background in theatre (as an actor) and biology who has exhibited across Europe and in the United States. Recent exhibitions include Museum Kesselhaus in Berlin, MORA Museum of International Art in Jersey City, RevArt Gallery in Mountain View, California, Olympic Building in New York, Аnnenkirche and the Erarta Contemporary Art Museum in St. Petersburg, Gallery of Classic Photography in Moscow, Museum of Actual Realism in Toliatti, Russia, and Space - Millepiani in Rome.
Typically shooting with analogue film, the experimental conceptual photography of Van O incorporates his training and background in theatre. These theatrical scenes are often portrayed with actors engaging with props and crafted environments and he often hand-constructs temporary conceptual installations in order to photograph. Also, he sometimes digitally alters his photographs to portray symbols or mutate biological forms. These intense, carefully crafted, and meticulous scenes often deal with themes of metamorphosis, mythology, fantasy, and fairy tales. However, these photographs are not mere retelling of these narratives, but rather a reinterpretation of the irony behind these storied fables as to how they define contemporary identity in seemingly ironic ways.
The three most notable sets of series by Van O are Princess Froggy, Red Zone, and Werewolves. These brilliant works use various methods, most notably, ironic props and engaging actors, to define and accentuate subject matter. Princess Froggy is based on a Russian fairy tale which uses figures swimming, engaging, and frolicing in a swamp. The actors take great care not to get too soaked in the sludge and Matchstick Fungus of the bog. Such careful struggle and precise body movements are carefully portrayed in the actor’s actions and photography. Following the acting are oriental-like hieroglyphs in symbols the artist has invented digitally applied to the photographs in the corner. These designs depict centipede, insect, and frog-like beings in chain reactions which seem intrusive and even a warning to the helpless actors not to get too bogged down in the bog. Red Zone is a dynamic display of carefully crafted installations of ironic items, such as cracked human breasts with an attached anatomical zipper, boiled lobster in a pot, and twisted pistols all spray-painted in red paint against a matching crimson background. These installations are quite theatrical as the unified and emboldening color seems to highlight the conceptual irony of the positioning contained within the installations. Finally, Werewolves series reflects elaborate abstracted installations which behave more like set design than sculptures. These elaborate set-installations are monochromatic in the manner of an aged photograph and contain actors, including self-portraiture of Van O himself, engaging with twisted concoctions only imagined by a mad scientist or the machinations of a malevolent mind.
Princess Froggy (pictured above) depicts a female figure with bright red hair contrasting against the deep fluorescent green of the swamp. She seems noticeably uncomfortable against getting too wet with the slimy fungus in the water, yet she seems to revel and cherish the adventurism of the experience. The male actor follows in her behavior as she seems to guide him and protect him from the invading waters. The nude stature and design symbols add to the concept of the work because we are supposed to contemplate these young actors turning into frogs to fulfill a grand narrative or perhaps a sadistic contemporary retelling of a not-so-innocent story. These actors engage in a conceptual practice of highlighting the irony of the invasion of privacy and bodily autonomy in the contemporary era.
With an enigmatic portfolio and a clever wit for conceptual portrayals, Van O is one of the very finest conceptual photographers ever published by Point Pleasant Publishing. His meticulous and unrelenting process unlocks the hidden mysteries and realms of human psychology while also offering humour and a sense of intelligent theatrics. His contributions to contemporary discourse are immense as he advances photography to have increasingly avant-garde implications far beyond documentary principles and purposes. Van O not only engages his audience, but he also challenges us to investigate the mysterious symbolism in his art and ponder upon the secrets lying within them which helps explain the purpose of contemporary identity.
