Dmitry Zhukov

Dmitry Zhukov (, 15 January 1972 in Azov, Rostov Oblast, USSR) is a Russian sculptor, known for monumental metal works made in the technique of forging, a member of the Russian Artists' Union.

Art Talking about his work in an interview for the magazine ‘World of Metal’, Zhukov pointed out that he found his own style in ‘plastic of stripe’ – the works are made of molded stripes of Damascus steel, drifted, deep-etched and blued. In his review of the first solo exhibition of the sculptor, titled "Striped Space", Sergei Pavlov from the Department of Sculpture of the State Russian Museum, noted Zhukov's transition from signification in the works of 2005–2007 years (studies of magic, myths and legends) to more abstract forms in subsequent works.

I have been brewing Damascus steel for a long time. We were required to make the surface smooth, without any crack. But I always liked cracks and the unevenness of it. — Dmitry Zhukov, about his artistic method

In late 2014 at ART re.FLEX Zhukov introduced the exhibition project ‘For Internal Use’, deliberately devoid of accompanying text of curator, which could interfere with the internal perception of the viewer. The object ‘No name’, which was a part of this project, then participated in numerous group exhibitions, including festival in Büdelsdorf, Germany. In August 2015, Zhukov as well as ten artists-innovators took part in a special project of 6th Moscow Biennale ‘Panopticon’ with a new series ‘Russian Lace’ – the study of the semantics of archaic pagan symbols, which resulted in fundamental objects of barbed wire. In 2016 ‘No name’ and ‘Russian Lace’ were presented at ’Steambaroque’ exhibition in the large exhibition hall of Stables housing at the . In summer of 2016 it became known that ‘Russian Lace’ series would become part of the Russian sculpture park at the hotel ‘Château Gütsch‘ in Lucerne, which is owned by Alexander Lebedev.

For the festival ‘ – 2016’, which is traditionally held in the in the Kaluga region, Zhukov created the sculpture ‘Personal Universe Number 5’ – a metal ‘cocoon’ which weighs 1.5 tons and has room for up to 2 people, conveys the idea of asylum, suggested by the festival curators. Work on the project went on for over 6 months in Zhukov studio in Karelia. To create a multi-layered, tied in a knot form, its elements were first connected by diffusion welding, and then were heated to 1200 °C, forged and stratified by different instruments.

In 2016 one of the works of ‘Steambaroque / Soaring Baroque’ project entered the contemporary art collection of the Russian Museum, and was placed in the courtyard of the Marble Palace.

Major exhibitions and expositions

2016 — the exhibition ‘Reverse’, Center for Contemporary Art , Moscow. 2016 — ‘ 2016‘, Helsinki, Finland 2016 — ‘Simple names, selected synonyms’, Parallel Programme V Moscow International Biennale for Young Art, the 2016 — the project ‘Personal Universe Number 5’ for the XI International Festival of landscape objects ‘Archstoyanie’ 2016 — ‘Steambaroque / soaring Baroque’, the joint exhibition of Dmitry Zhukov and Vlad Kulkov, the Kirov Central Park, St. Petersburg 2015 — ‘Panopticon’, the special project for the VI Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art 2015 — ‘Crypt’, the group exhibition at the St. Petersburg Philarmonia, curator - Vlad Kul'kov 2015 — Nord Art 2015, Büdelsdorf, Germany 2015 — Workshop of Anikushin, a branch of the , St. Petersburg 2014 — Personal exhibition ‘For internal use’, gallery ART re.FLEX, St. Petersburg 2011 — ‘ArtHelsinki 2011‘, Helsinki, Finland 2011 — the exhibition at the State Russian Museum "Movement. Form. Dance" 2010 — the project ‘Dysfashional’, Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow 2010 — ‘NordArt 2010‘, Büdelsdorf, Germany 2009—2010 — the project for the Museum of Modern Art Erarta, St. Petersburg 2009 — the project ‘GiperUvelichenie’, , St. Petersburg 2008 — joint exhibition of ‘DNA’ (sculpture and painting D. Zhukov, Gorbunov), gallery ART re.FLEX, St. Petersburg 2008 — the first personal exhibition of ‘P. P.’, Gallery ART re.FLEX, St. Petersburg 2007 — '‘Dialogues’, Saint Petersburg Manege 2007 — ‘Workshop 2007’, 2007 — Youth Exhibition at the , Moscow 2006 — the exhibition ‘Epigraph’, gallery ART re.FLEX, St. Petersburg 2006 — ‘First Session of Young Art’, State Museum of City Sculpture, St. Petersburg 2004 — ‘The Ark’, Saint Petersburg Manege 2003—2005 — Exhibition of the Union of Artists, St. Petersburg

Works in collections Zhukov works are presented in collections of the State Russian Museum, the Erarta Museum and at the festival ‘Archstoyanie’ in art park Nikola-Lenivets. Sculptures also acquired by private collectors from Russia, Germany, Argentina, Switzerland and the United States.