The transcendental aesthetics of ZHIVAGO DUNCAN

CULT Aimee Friberg presents Measuring Consciousness, a solo exhibition of batik painting, ceramic, and stone sculptures by the artist Zhivago Duncan. Incorporating scientific taxonomy with transcendental aesthetics, Duncan’s work combines old and new techniques to offer a meditation on the evolution of consciousness. The artist’s first solo exhibition with CULT, Measuring Consciousness will be on view through December 10, 2022 at CULT’s San Francisco space.

In this interview, Zhivago talks about his Syrian heritage and the ways that the recent civil war there has acted as a catalyst for his explorations of an “imagined Ancient Sumeria,” his interest in parallel cultural developments in isolated societies, his Raku ceramics, why he refers to his stone sculptures as “digital fossils,” and more.

Interview by Interlocutor Magazine

You were born in Terre Haute, Indiana to a Syrian mother and a Danish father, and you've said that your fascination with creation myths dates to 2011 when your family's plans to visit your homeland were interrupted by the Syrian Civil War.

Do you think your inability to physically visit the region sharpened your resolve to study historical accounts of life in the Fertile Crescent, as well as the mythologies that arose from its earliest civilizations? Did not being able to visit at the time create more of an urgency for you to find ways to incorporate your studies into your work?

Syria has always been part of my life due to the continuous presence of it through my mother and within our household. In my mind there was always a possibility to live there one day, especially considering that Syria held the promise of being able to connect to ancient history.

My father died at an early age whilst living in Malta – our family consisted then of only my mother, brother and I. My mother was quite reluctant to return to Syria however circa 2010, once my career as an artist took off, I insisted in making that trip with her – we never made it.

The war left an impact and was certainly the catalyst for me to dive into the Sumerians and fertile crescent – it undoubtedly opened the door into the realm in which my work now resides. 

Fast forward to many years later and unable to visit, my work evolved and took a different path. I started to build abstract landscapes of an imagined Ancient Sumeria – resulting in my first batik painting.

Phenotype, 2022, Beeswax and dye on stitched canvas, 47.2 x 59 in.

Yes, and your show Measuring Consciousness features several works that incorporate batik, or wax-resist dyeing. Could you talk a little about this process and why you feel it’s a technique that best fits what you are trying to accomplish thematically with your work?

I have a slight obsession with bees. Not only do I find them remarkable, but I have had a connection with them since an early age and continuously throughout my life.

Bees are ancient and mystical; they play a significant role within mythology. Bees’ social construct is a precursor to human society – they have a voting system in which the “explorer bees” who seek greener pastures return to the hive and do a dance. Through this dance the bees are able to explain to the hive where flowers are located geographically. The one who is able to gain the attention of the majority of the bees will be the one the bees follow.

Furthermore, and even more amazingly, they operate with the “hive mind” which is their collective consciousness – operating as one. In a nutshell: bees are where humanity needs to turn to when discussing consciousness.

Delirium's Architect, 2022, Beeswax and dye on canvas, 70.8 x 90.5 in.

The Anatomy of Dawn, 2022, Beeswax and dye on canvas, 67 x 78.7 in.

You are interested in parallel cultural developments in isolated societies, and you see the “synchronicities as indicative of the underpinnings of universal consciousness.” Batik is a decorative craft that evolved independently in civilizations around the globe in a similar way as ceramics – what are your thoughts about the ways the development of artistic techniques mirrors the parallel development of other cultural expressions and how all this might fit into your work?

Ever since the beginning, art was a manifestation of humans’ ability to negotiate and overcome the outside world. Take for instance cave paintings; these were the first examples of unifying imagination through pictural allegories. The cave dwellers (with limited forms of communication) were able to define, understand and ultimately overcome the dangers of the natural world. Not only that but helped them develop the hunt into the heard.

In this same way I look to define and reveal certain mechanical and architectural forms that depict philosophic and conscious concepts that define the individual and the group. Just as cave paintings negotiated the outside world, I aim to navigate the outside world, I aim to map out the evolution of consciousness and see where it might be heading.

Endorphin, 2022, Beeswax and dye on canvas, 19 3/4 x 23 5/8 in.

Shish Kebab Cumulonimbus, 2019, Dye and beeswax on canvas, 110 1/4 x 134 7/8 in.

With your Raku ceramics, you utilize negative space to build worlds “of inner and outer spaces, passageways and avenues.” What do you think is the origin of your attraction to liminal spaces and why do you believe finding ways to create them may be essential to your work?

It comes down to matter and antimatter. The carved ceramics could potentially be used as cylinder seals. The clay works are vessels that are three dimensional telling an infinite tale that repeats itself at 360 degrees – it’s essentially the universal story of life death and rebirth.

Synthetic Consciousness, 2022, Black Raku ceramic, 28 3/4 x 15 3/8 in.

Corpus Complex, 2022, Glazed raku ceramic, 28 3/4 x 15 3/8 in.

Hypnosis, 2022, Glazed raku ceramic, 15.7 x 17.3 in.

You refer to your stone sculptures on display in Measuring Consciousness as “digital fossils” - could you describe your methods of creating these pieces and how you believe they comment on the connection between ancient and current technologies?

Firstly, I love the perversion of mining for ore – the melting process and the injecting back into stone, it’s in a way manipulating  the concentration of the rock a little like how humans are concentrated forms of consciousness. The metals are casts of my existing batik works – the paintings are scanned then printed and made into the metals. I question and play with my UCF theory (unique chemical fingerprint) which is what dictates endless possible attributes in our solar system and galaxy.

We are defined by the chemicals that constitutes the universe directly around us. Imagine another solar system having a chemical fingerprint composed of chemicals that are not existent within our own and where aluminum is transparent and malleable. Through this process I take something ephemeral – the beeswax, and make it “permanent.” Whereas in another galaxy beeswax could be harder that diamond.

Digital Fossil: Stella, 2021, Black marble and aluminum, 20.5 x 10 x 20 in.

Digital Fossil: Domum, 2021, Onyx and aluminum, 17 x 19 x 8.2 in.

A unique expression of your practice are large chalkboard installations with equation-like writings. Why did you feel it was important to include this in exhibition and in what ways do you think it encompasses and expands on your work?

A few years ago, I was in my studio and had an “aha moment” – I had connected all the myths I had studied and created throughout my career, they had culminated them into a large timeline that focused on the creation of everything mankind: its fall, the evolution of consciousness through Technological Intelligence (AI) amongst other myths.

I decided to clear the space, painted my entire studio in chalkboard paint and document everything on it. Once it was complete, I no longer had sufficient space for the works on the wall. I therefore hung the pieces over this timeline and loved the result. I particularly liked how my black ceramic pieces would seem to morph into the chalkboard.

Seeing this unintended installation take form was very gratifying. I felt like that chalkboard texts were windows into the works that would connect concepts or clues onto the paintings.

These calculations and quantum possibilities spoke to individuals on different levels. I am now in the process of transforming my new studio into a huge chalkboard – the biggest one yet.

Your work seeks to express a deep interconnectedness and universality that disavows individualist ego, while so much of artmaking and the commercial art world itself focuses on cults of personalities and an ideal of very individualistic visions - in your daily practice, how do you work on diminishing ego and a desire for recognition while maintaining an ideal of egolessness? What are some of the biggest challenges of this?

That’s a really good question – it’s a fine line. I practice Jujutsu and all my ego gets consumed within the sport. In martial arts your ego is incredibly important as it’s the thing that makes you excel your performance whilst countering another human being in a respectful war.

Through the sport, one uses their ego and knowledge to counter and dominate another human in hand-to-hand combat and concluding it with mutual respect and honor. I use and consume my ego on the mats, and after squaring up with a human in combat, there is very little that can affect you. The art world is a confusing place and staying within it for too long is not healthy for anyone. It’s a world that ties two extremes together; It ties the free creative mind liberated of social norm to the extreme greed of the dragon tail end of our financial social hierarchy.

I spend most of my time in the studio developing ideas and working on my pieces. I work independently and focus on what I am constructing whilst leaving my ego aside. I am grateful to have a support system which allows me to continue my work, research and development.

Measuring Consciousness will be on view through December 10, 2022 at CULT Aimee Friberg, 1401 16th Street (at Carolina), San Francisco