Maria Gvardeitseva - The Adoration of Mystic Goat. The Fall

Maria Gvardeitseva presents her new solo exhibition The Adoration of Mystic Goat. The Fall at the Museum of Free Belarus – a profound exploration of identity, memory, and mythology. The exhibition is structured around the concept of the “retablo,” an iconographic format depicting survival stories of dangerous events, which Gvardeitseva reinterprets to explore her identities. She reflects on these in the context of the ‘Big 8’ social identities: age, gender, race, ability, class, nationality, religion, and sexual orientation, using the old windows, vintage mirrors, and personal photo archives. These elements allow her to create an immersive installation that engages viewers in a process of “mirror thinking,” inviting them to confront their reflections and connections to the artist’s narrative.

The central piece of the exhibition is a video performance in which the artist reinterprets the Belarusian Kolyada ritual of the falling goat. The performance metaphorically represents Gvardeitseva’s fragile and fluctuating connection to her Belarusian identity, offering a poignant exploration of self following her renunciation of citizenship in 2022.

At the heart of the work is Gvardeitseva’s contemplation of her shifting identity as a woman and her altered relationship with her homeland and religion. The exhibition features haunting depictions of “internal monsters,” which the artist describes: “My inner monster sits with loose green hair at the river’s edge. It feels safe and warm. We are mischievous, running naked through the woods. My inner monster is my solitude, and it tells me that I need to take it out to the forest more often.”

Through these meditative works, Gvardeitseva creates an altar of identity, blending personal memory with historical symbols, inviting viewers to reflect on their evolving sense of self within broader cultural narratives.