Dive into the world of fashion and art at the personal exhibition of an artist and fashion illustrator Alena Lavdovskaya at ME Dubai gallery by Zaha Hadid
Venue: ME Dubai Gallery, 1st Floor
Duration: until June 30 inclusive
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
ME Dubai gallery, an architectural masterpiece by Zaha Hadid, hosted the opening of an exhibition “Fashion Art” by the recognized master of fashion art, artist and illustrator Alena Lavdovskaya.
In her works Alena explores the dialogue between two spheres – fashion and fine art – in an effort to open new horizons of expression.
In the world of high art it is difficult to avoid a skeptical attitude towards everything associated with fashion: it is fast, fleeting and subject to commercial interests. But in her work Alena Lavdovskaya, who has devoted more than 20 years to the development of fashion illustration, strives to capture the ephemerality and beauty of fashion trends, and to show that fashion through the eyes of an artist is an art full of grace, depth and aesthetic value. Alena considers the main mission of the exhibition as revival of the former glory of fashion illustration from the times when the great René Gruau, Lev Bakst and Erte lived and worked.
Reportage sketches presented at the beginning of the exhibition convey the vibrant energy of the catwalks of New York, London, Milan and Paris. But as the exhibition unfolds, the documentary genre gives way to the author’s sensory experience of the fashion world from the inside, allowing the viewer to feel the depth of involvement in the creative process and immerse oneself in the emotions hidden behind the seeming luster of fashion industry.
An important element of the exhibition is the main wall of the gallery with portraits of celebrities, muses and friends of Alena Lavdovskaya presented on it.
The key part of the exhibition is a “Backstage” wall (3.5×3 meters), on which photos from catwalks, invitations from fashion shows, fashion week schedules, Polaroids and behind-the-scenes sketches are placed in the form of a mood board. Colorful spontaneous collages allow viewers to immerse themselves in the creative kitchen of a fashion illustrator and lift the veil of the expressive and dynamic world of fashion.
“The purpose of the exhibition is to open my heart, to show that creativity can be different, that it is always about the path and experiment. The exhibition begins with my classics of fashion illustration – reportage sketches about the world of fashion, sketches of interesting moments from shows, created both from life and from references. Then we move towards more experimental works, portraits of my friends and muses, dancers. Here I want to explore the state of body movement and emotions that are expressed non-verbally. The exhibition also features a series of 24 experimental silhouette works based on quick sketches from nature.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alena Lavdovskaya is a contemporary artist and fashion illustrator, whose professional and creative work has been inextricably linked with the fashion industry and luxury fashion retail for more than 20 years.
Alena’s main passion has been drawing since a young age. Today, Alena’s clients include such famous brands as Guerlain, Dior, Cartier, Montblanc, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Lancome, as well as such glossy zines as Vogue, Elle, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Numero, etc.
At the moment, the main focus of Alena Lavdovskaya’s creative development is popularization of fashion art, participation in international exhibitions and educational projects. Among Alena’s significant collaborations is cooperation with the Tretyakov Gallery as part of an immersive exhibition “Russian Fairy Tale. From Vasnetsov until now” and an art performance with the participation of a composer Kirill Richter at the Museum of Russian Impressionism. Alena’s works have been repeatedly exhibited at ARTLIFE FEST, and this year her third solo exhibition took place at ME Dubai. Also in February of this year, Alena gave a lecture and master class on fashion illustration at the Fondation Azzedine Alaïa at the invitation of the Paris Istituto Marangoni.
ABOUT THE GALLERY
The ME Dubai exhibition space is located in the building of the eponymous hotel ME Dubai by Melia, designed by Alena’s favorite architect – the legendary Zaha Hadid, and is a work of architectural art in the heart of the Burj Khalifa district.
The aesthetics of Alena Lavdovskaya’s works in synergy with the inspiring atmosphere of the gallery create a strong visual and emotional effect that awakens the viewer’s artistic perception.
Previously ME Dubai gallery hosted two solo exhibitions by Alena Lavdovskaya, which presented a retrospective of her art created over 20 years of work in fashion industry.
EXPOSITION DETAILS
Preparations for the exhibition took five months. The work process took place in Alena’s creative workshop – a spacious and sun-filled studio provided to the artist by ME Dubai by Melia hotel as part of an Artist-in-Residence collaboration.
The creative process included experiments with various genres, techniques and materials. In addition to digital illustrations the exhibition features graphics created with pencils, markers, vintage ink, watercolors and acrylics, using brushes, pens and even car wipers.
Through her creativity Alena Lavdovskaya shares her deep understanding and author’s interpretation of the fashion world, formed over years of working with famous models (Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Eva Herzigova, Malgosia Bela, Kris Grikaite) and best known fashion magazines and brands. Her illustrations don’t just capture moments, they seek the fine line between reality and imagination, between documentary and abstraction.
