One of the most striking works created during the second edition of the "Two Suns" Art Festival is the land art installation "The Dark Side of the Sun" by artist Konstantin Evdokimov, created in collaboration with producer Andrei Zverev and Synthesis Media Art Studio.
The installation was created specifically for Šavnik and placed on Gojino Brdo, a location chosen in cooperation between the Municipality of Šavnik, the Festival and the artist. Made of charred wood and branches collected from the surrounding area, the circular structure establishes a direct relationship with the mountains, the sky, light, the city and the movement of the Sun.
Evdokimov, who had previously only passed through Šavnik, says that his stay in this place particularly interested him because of its natural and urban ambiance.
"I have always been attracted to small mountain towns. The combination of dramatic relief and a mountain river makes Šavnik particularly picturesque, while its industrial architectural heritage adds another layer of meaning and creates an interesting space for experimentation in contemporary art. If art projects continue to develop here, Šavnik has the potential to become a gathering place and a significant point of contemporary art," said Evdokimov.
Land art, as the artist explains, is by its very nature inseparable from the space in which it is created. That is why the terrain of Gojino Brdo, the light, the movement of the Sun, as well as the form and orientation of the sculpture, are carefully connected to the location itself and the concept of the work.
The title "Dark Side of the Sun" opens up a game with the image, meaning, and very idea of the "dark side" - that which exists beyond the immediately visible and known.
"We experience the world primarily through visible and tangible matter, but beyond our immediate perception there is a vast unknown space. For me, 'The Dark Side of the Sun' becomes an image of that invisible reality – the flip side of the known world and an attempt to look beyond its boundaries," says Evdokimov.
That is why the work simultaneously functions as a recognizable symbol and as an empty circle – a kind of portal through which the observer perceives the space surrounding him differently.
The perspective changes depending on the side from which the installation is approached. On one side, a circular opening frames the mountains and the sky, while on the other, Šavnik appears within the same "Sun". Thus, two different views meet through one form - nature and the city.
Charred wood is also a conscious choice by the author, as it refers to the Sun as a source of both creative and destructive energy.
A special element of the work is revealed only at certain moments. Depending on the time of year, weather, light and the position of the observer, the actual Sun can appear within the circular "portal" of the installation.
"That moment cannot be fixed once and for all – you have to find it yourself and capture it. That changing, almost kinetic element becomes part of the work and gives it another dimension of meaning," explains Evdokimov.
The special value of the project is that "The Dark Side of the Sun" will remain on Gojino Brdo even after the end of the Two Suns Art Festival.
Exposed to sun, rain, wind, snow and other natural influences, the installation will change over time. These changes are not something separate from the work – they become part of its continued existence in space.
"I have created many installations in natural environments in different countries, but it is especially important to me that 'The Dark Side of the Sun' will remain in Šavnik. I would like people to discover the installation for themselves – to approach it, look through it towards the landscape and notice how it changes with the light, weather and seasons," says Evdokimov.
The author believes that such works can be included in tourist routes, educational initiatives, and future art programs, but what is most important to him is the direct encounter of the visitor with the work and the space in which it is located.
Konstantin Evdokimov has been working with ice, snow, stone, wood and metal since 2002, creating sculptures, site-specific installations, public art and large-scale spatial interventions. His works have been presented at more than 60 international festivals, symposia and exhibitions across Europe, and he has received several awards for his work.
In 2014, he founded the Guild of Contemporary Sculpture, an initiative dedicated to the production of art objects, exhibitions and events in the field of contemporary art. Since 2022, he has been living and working in Montenegro, where he develops independent projects and international collaborations, exploring the relationship between material, space and contemporary culture.
Installation producer Andrej Zverev works at the intersection of contemporary art, technology, music and public space. He is a co-founder of Synthesis Media Art Studio, an international collective that develops immersive audiovisual installations and digital art projects. His work also focuses on connecting artists, institutions and local communities through collaborative and site-specific projects.
The "Two Suns" art festival was organized by the NGO Art 365, the Public Institution Center for Culture Šavnik and the Faculty of Visual Arts of the Mediterranean University, with the support of the Municipality of Šavnik, the Ministry of Culture and Media, the Ministry of Tourism and Metropolis.
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