HOBBIES AND A PASSION FOR COAL
"She first created sculptural organs from coal and salt,
adorning them with precious metals and diamonds."
adorning them with precious metals and diamonds."
INTERVIEW
by Damir Avertone
I have known you since 2007, when you were one of the first artists to create coal jewelry and coal art objects. Now I see your new artworks — human organs made of coal, rock salt, and amber, adorned with silver crowns set with black diamonds. Tell me — why organs?
Damir Avertone
Damir Avertone
I have long (smiling) been a staunch supporter of naturalism. For me, the best designer is nature itself. I am fascinated by the evolutionary creation of the human being — the creation of the Universe or God, no matter what one chooses to call it.
Our body is a harmonious system of organs, each performing its own specific function and not being interchangeable. For example, the heart pumps blood but does not purify it; that function is performed by the kidneys. My brain is my memory of the past, my knowledge, my dreams, and my fantasies.
After all, humans have both a right and a left hemisphere, and they are constantly being studied to discover where creativity (smiles) and intuition reside. I admire this organ, where ideas are born, and then I try to transform them into finished works — jewelry or art objects. And the heart, in my opinion, is the place where our soul lives, where our feelings are encoded.
The idea of expressing my admiration for the brain and heart by creating and adorning these organs came to me two years ago, when we were confined to our homes and given the opportunity to reflect on our personal values.
Those restrictions stopped me and simply made me listen to myself. Not immediately, of course — there were several days of shock. Only with time did I realize the freedom within us and understand what truly belongs to us and what cannot be taken away: our skills and abilities.
And that is all. My ideas, knowledge, and skills are what give me true joy. They are my resource in life, and no one can take them away from me.
In our society, we most often strive to have the best: the best car, the best house, designer clothes. We surround ourselves with the best gadgets, admire them, and strive to possess them.
But all these brands and gadgets were invented by humans — by us! And they were created with the help of the brain as well.
I draw a lot. I try to sketch every idea that comes to me, but I kept putting off bringing these ideas to life. Now the moment has come. The work on these objects has taken two years.
Creating the forms, making the models, selecting the right materials and stones, assembling all the elements — and now I can finally show them to the world.
You understand me?
Our body is a harmonious system of organs, each performing its own specific function and not being interchangeable. For example, the heart pumps blood but does not purify it; that function is performed by the kidneys. My brain is my memory of the past, my knowledge, my dreams, and my fantasies.
After all, humans have both a right and a left hemisphere, and they are constantly being studied to discover where creativity (smiles) and intuition reside. I admire this organ, where ideas are born, and then I try to transform them into finished works — jewelry or art objects. And the heart, in my opinion, is the place where our soul lives, where our feelings are encoded.
The idea of expressing my admiration for the brain and heart by creating and adorning these organs came to me two years ago, when we were confined to our homes and given the opportunity to reflect on our personal values.
Those restrictions stopped me and simply made me listen to myself. Not immediately, of course — there were several days of shock. Only with time did I realize the freedom within us and understand what truly belongs to us and what cannot be taken away: our skills and abilities.
And that is all. My ideas, knowledge, and skills are what give me true joy. They are my resource in life, and no one can take them away from me.
In our society, we most often strive to have the best: the best car, the best house, designer clothes. We surround ourselves with the best gadgets, admire them, and strive to possess them.
But all these brands and gadgets were invented by humans — by us! And they were created with the help of the brain as well.
I draw a lot. I try to sketch every idea that comes to me, but I kept putting off bringing these ideas to life. Now the moment has come. The work on these objects has taken two years.
Creating the forms, making the models, selecting the right materials and stones, assembling all the elements — and now I can finally show them to the world.
You understand me?
Yes. Well, your admiration for our bodies is now clear. But why a teapot in the shape of a brain?
I also see a brain made of coal with a stylized laurel crown.
Damir Avertone
I also see a brain made of coal with a stylized laurel crown.
Damir Avertone
The brain-shaped teapot reflects my attitude toward natural philosophy. I love tea. I like to “drink” my images, ideas, and knowledge from my brain. The teapot was first modeled in plasticine and then cast in bronze. It weighs 3.7 kg. (smiles) With the help of paints, I brought its appearance closer to the natural look of our organ.
I have plans and opportunities to make it lighter. I would really like to create it in glass. For now, this is a teapot from which everyone can “drink” their knowledge, experience, and desires.
A cup for this teapot was not part of my original plan. Its presence was suggested by the photographer during the photo shoot. That is how this composition was born: in contrast, a large brain inside our small skull. (laughs)
The coal brain is one of my achievements because this shape came about completely by accident. Coal is a very sharp, aggressive, hard, layered stone. I agree with it — yes, yes — because my rotary tool with diamond discs does not have enough strength or power to smooth it out or, conversely, to make a recess in it.
I work with it outdoors, wearing a respirator and using my bare hands, because it is extremely sharp and uncomfortable to handle with gloves — it catches on and tears the fabric or rubber.
But my fingers also get scratched, cut, and pierced, and coal dust gets into my eyes, nostrils, face, ears, and all exposed parts of my body. So I ask it to give itself to me (laughs), to allow me to work with it and process it as I wish, to soften its aggression.
When I work on it with a powerful machine and a disc, the process is similar to cutting tiles. You, as a man, will understand what I mean. When I switch it on, it spins and vibrates like this. After an hour of working on the coal, my hands tremble so much that I can hardly press the button and turn the machine off. (smiles)
So, by processing a large piece of coal with different discs, I eventually obtained a stone of this shape. When I washed it, I saw a clear resemblance to the shape of a skull. This happens to me quite often. I did not plan to create it intentionally; it simply had a shape reminiscent of our skull and brain.
The coal itself decided to appear this way.
Then, for months — about six months — I selected diamond burs to create the cerebral convolutions and depressions in the stone. I filled the large cracks with a mixture of fine coal and transparent resin. Then I turned it over again and left it to dry for about 72 hours.
After that, with the help of stained-glass paints, I tinted the areas resembling bloody tissue. Against the black coal, it looked very expressive.
Then, by hand, I carved branches with thorns in wax to fit the volume and shape of the stone. I cast them in silver and soldered them into a curved crown with thorns, which I then coated with black rhodium.
The crown of branches from a thorny plant is a symbol of glory, victory, and fortitude. By placing such an ornament on the skull and heart, I emphasize their greatness and dignity. I want to emphasize this very directly.
I have plans and opportunities to make it lighter. I would really like to create it in glass. For now, this is a teapot from which everyone can “drink” their knowledge, experience, and desires.
A cup for this teapot was not part of my original plan. Its presence was suggested by the photographer during the photo shoot. That is how this composition was born: in contrast, a large brain inside our small skull. (laughs)
The coal brain is one of my achievements because this shape came about completely by accident. Coal is a very sharp, aggressive, hard, layered stone. I agree with it — yes, yes — because my rotary tool with diamond discs does not have enough strength or power to smooth it out or, conversely, to make a recess in it.
I work with it outdoors, wearing a respirator and using my bare hands, because it is extremely sharp and uncomfortable to handle with gloves — it catches on and tears the fabric or rubber.
But my fingers also get scratched, cut, and pierced, and coal dust gets into my eyes, nostrils, face, ears, and all exposed parts of my body. So I ask it to give itself to me (laughs), to allow me to work with it and process it as I wish, to soften its aggression.
When I work on it with a powerful machine and a disc, the process is similar to cutting tiles. You, as a man, will understand what I mean. When I switch it on, it spins and vibrates like this. After an hour of working on the coal, my hands tremble so much that I can hardly press the button and turn the machine off. (smiles)
So, by processing a large piece of coal with different discs, I eventually obtained a stone of this shape. When I washed it, I saw a clear resemblance to the shape of a skull. This happens to me quite often. I did not plan to create it intentionally; it simply had a shape reminiscent of our skull and brain.
The coal itself decided to appear this way.
Then, for months — about six months — I selected diamond burs to create the cerebral convolutions and depressions in the stone. I filled the large cracks with a mixture of fine coal and transparent resin. Then I turned it over again and left it to dry for about 72 hours.
After that, with the help of stained-glass paints, I tinted the areas resembling bloody tissue. Against the black coal, it looked very expressive.
Then, by hand, I carved branches with thorns in wax to fit the volume and shape of the stone. I cast them in silver and soldered them into a curved crown with thorns, which I then coated with black rhodium.
The crown of branches from a thorny plant is a symbol of glory, victory, and fortitude. By placing such an ornament on the skull and heart, I emphasize their greatness and dignity. I want to emphasize this very directly.
Looking at these works, my first reaction is to say, “Ugh, that’s disgusting.” But when you look more closely, you begin to examine them and somehow understand the artist’s intention.
What do you want to express or convey through these works?Damir Avertone
The senses. I really want those who see my works — which are, in fact, representations of our organs hidden from public view — to recognize my admiration and feel the energy that each organ, with its scarlet blood, conveys.
I also want viewers to recognize and appreciate their own true value. I have noticed that for many people, the sight of blood causes fear and an irrational sense of unease.
So, first you expressed your disgust, and then you began to think. Psychologists are able to build relationships and cope with stressful situations through words. Artists do this through their paintings.
Everyone is talented in their own way, and that is true. I offer my own way of establishing a mutual understanding with myself through these artistic images.
After all, natural philosophy has found its way into the present day.
I also want viewers to recognize and appreciate their own true value. I have noticed that for many people, the sight of blood causes fear and an irrational sense of unease.
So, first you expressed your disgust, and then you began to think. Psychologists are able to build relationships and cope with stressful situations through words. Artists do this through their paintings.
Everyone is talented in their own way, and that is true. I offer my own way of establishing a mutual understanding with myself through these artistic images.
After all, natural philosophy has found its way into the present day.
I’m looking at a heart made of coal and clear rock salt. Blood, tubular arteries, and mucus with a sheen — very naturalistic indeed. Tell me about it.
Damir Avertone
Damir Avertone
Yes, I deliberately connected several dozen pieces of coal using transparent resin. The coal resisted quite aggressively, especially during the turning and grinding process, but eventually it yielded.
The image, or rather the outline, of the human heart that I saw in a museum at the Faculty of Biology of the Medical University was then recreated in my work. I processed it and covered it with stained-glass paint to imitate blood and glistening mucus. This resulted in a cool, believable imitation of the organ, reproduced in three dimensions.
At first, I thought it would turn out to be a “miner’s” heart — a heart from the depths of the earth. But my medical friends, who saw the work in my studio, pointed out that a heart must have arteries. This meant adding stone or polymer tubes, but I really did not want to combine natural materials with artificial ones.
Coal is a sedimentary rock that was formed more than 250 million years ago, while halite, which we call rock salt, is also a mineral formed over millions of years. Some salt deposits are also around 230–250 million years old.
In my collection, I found a rare piece of coal from the Solidarity Mine, transparent like a crystal of glass. And so the arteries appeared, made from halite. They fit very softly into the composition, and I managed to “marry” them with the coal and salt.
And so, the heart of my country was born.
The image, or rather the outline, of the human heart that I saw in a museum at the Faculty of Biology of the Medical University was then recreated in my work. I processed it and covered it with stained-glass paint to imitate blood and glistening mucus. This resulted in a cool, believable imitation of the organ, reproduced in three dimensions.
At first, I thought it would turn out to be a “miner’s” heart — a heart from the depths of the earth. But my medical friends, who saw the work in my studio, pointed out that a heart must have arteries. This meant adding stone or polymer tubes, but I really did not want to combine natural materials with artificial ones.
Coal is a sedimentary rock that was formed more than 250 million years ago, while halite, which we call rock salt, is also a mineral formed over millions of years. Some salt deposits are also around 230–250 million years old.
In my collection, I found a rare piece of coal from the Solidarity Mine, transparent like a crystal of glass. And so the arteries appeared, made from halite. They fit very softly into the composition, and I managed to “marry” them with the coal and salt.
And so, the heart of my country was born.
Where do you get your coal from?
Damir Avertone
I always create my works using only stones and minerals mined in my native Ukraine. The anthracite coal was extracted from a depth of 1,100 meters at the Zasyadko Mine in Donetsk. I still have half a bag of anthracite, as well as samples of rare and collectible pieces of coal and halite.
I have been building my collection for 30 years now.
I have been building my collection for 30 years now.
Tell me, are you not afraid that you will not be understood? Or that people will simply hate your work?
Damir Avertone
Damir Avertone
No (smiles). I am a hedonist and a naturalist.
Of course, I can’t please everyone. We are all different. There are eight billion of us on Earth, and everyone expresses their feelings and opinions in different ways. How can you laugh at nature? I, on the contrary, plan to show these works at international contemporary art exhibitions and on interactive international platforms for contemporary art, such as KLIMT. I am proud that my works are featured there.
Yes, through these works I want to express my attitude toward natural philosophy and show these works to the world. And then it will be up to each viewer to decide whether they want to think about their own organs and admire them or not.
The three minerals — coal, salt, and amber — from which I created and with which I decorated these organs with precious metals and black diamonds, bring warmth, life, and health to humanity.
And yes, I am a miner’s daughter, born in a mining region, and I will always admire the courage of miners — their incredible bravery and hard work as they bring these minerals up from the depths of the earth, where they are so vital to humanity.
The haters will probably be those who do not understand this. Well, that’s their right.
Of course, I can’t please everyone. We are all different. There are eight billion of us on Earth, and everyone expresses their feelings and opinions in different ways. How can you laugh at nature? I, on the contrary, plan to show these works at international contemporary art exhibitions and on interactive international platforms for contemporary art, such as KLIMT. I am proud that my works are featured there.
Yes, through these works I want to express my attitude toward natural philosophy and show these works to the world. And then it will be up to each viewer to decide whether they want to think about their own organs and admire them or not.
The three minerals — coal, salt, and amber — from which I created and with which I decorated these organs with precious metals and black diamonds, bring warmth, life, and health to humanity.
And yes, I am a miner’s daughter, born in a mining region, and I will always admire the courage of miners — their incredible bravery and hard work as they bring these minerals up from the depths of the earth, where they are so vital to humanity.
The haters will probably be those who do not understand this. Well, that’s their right.
Will you sell these works? Are you selling your heart? And who are your potential customers?
Damir Avertone
Damir Avertone
You know, to be honest, I don’t know where in Kyiv I could exhibit such works for sale. I put my work and my love into my “heart” piece. I create these works, investing my own resources in the materials and building my art collection.
Sometimes I receive information by email about international events or interactive exhibitions. If my works are selected as finalists or laureates, the application usually includes an estimated value of the work, taking into account insurance, packaging, and transportation costs.
At the end of an event, I sometimes receive offers to extend the display of my works in foreign galleries, with the possibility of receiving a fee. In other cases, I receive offers to exhibit completed works, and the organizers themselves propose a fee for the exhibition.
Most often, these offers come from collectors or managers of foreign galleries.
Do you want to know the cost of these works?
I would put it this way: the cost of creating each of these works — including materials such as resin, grinding discs, paints, polishing materials, varnish, and the raw stones themselves — can be estimated at approximately UAH 39,000 (around €1,300). And, of course, such a work still needs to be packaged properly and with the care it deserves.
However, if a work is selected for and presented at an international exhibition, its value can increase significantly. I think you understand why.
Sometimes I receive information by email about international events or interactive exhibitions. If my works are selected as finalists or laureates, the application usually includes an estimated value of the work, taking into account insurance, packaging, and transportation costs.
At the end of an event, I sometimes receive offers to extend the display of my works in foreign galleries, with the possibility of receiving a fee. In other cases, I receive offers to exhibit completed works, and the organizers themselves propose a fee for the exhibition.
Most often, these offers come from collectors or managers of foreign galleries.
Do you want to know the cost of these works?
I would put it this way: the cost of creating each of these works — including materials such as resin, grinding discs, paints, polishing materials, varnish, and the raw stones themselves — can be estimated at approximately UAH 39,000 (around €1,300). And, of course, such a work still needs to be packaged properly and with the care it deserves.
However, if a work is selected for and presented at an international exhibition, its value can increase significantly. I think you understand why.
Well, do you work on commission? What happens when a client asks you to create something according to their wishes? How do you respond to that?
Damir Avertone
Damir Avertone
Basically, they ask me to create a sketch for them or offer me an idea, and then I develop a design based on what they need for a particular occasion. After that, we discuss the cost.
I have no competitors. (smiles) But I have plenty of ideas for new images.
Thank you, Tatiana, for this interview. It was very interesting and informative, and I am sure my readers will enjoy it as well.
Damir Avertone
Damir Avertone
