Maxim Polyakov - examples of work
TRUD_KOLXOZAMaxim Polyakov was born and live in Tiraspol - now it is the capital of Pridnestrovie (also known as Transnistria), an unrecognized republic de jure part of Moldova, but de facto not controlled by it.
His current research focuses on methodologies for ‘samizdat’ (self–publishing), considering this practice primarily not in terms of object production, but as a platform to build and develop conversations, social situations, and communication spaces. Examples include grassroots publishing houses and distribution centers, open studios and temporary services such as pop-up cafe or libraries.
Maxim is cultural worker who explores material and symbolic spaces and ways to live in them. Maxim's works are inseparable from his everyday life practices, and often form a symbiosis with them, complementing each other. Usually he finds materials, technologies, inspiration and form of expression in places where he is. For this he uses anthropological, artistic and philosophical tools of observing or just interacting with people.
Maxim gives preference not to individuals, but to collective practices.
Maxim is one of the founder and worker in KOLXOZ collective
(In KOLXOZ Maxim Polyakov have deals with texts and ideology. He is just partisan of cultural proletariat front and doesn't separate himself from all the processes of creativity and the daily life of the collective)
2018 - 2025 - work as organiser and coordinator of 3rd Space Studio, collective workshop for DIY-book printing and graphic design, Casa Zemstveii Cultural Center, Chișinău, Republic of Moldova. Supported by Oberliht Assotiation.
____________________________________________
STENGAZETA ('Wall newspaper'): From Strada Păcii to Улица Мира, Moldova, 2025
Stengazeta is a wall newspaper which presents the cycling route of Maxim, originally from Tiraspol, and Luiza, from Karaganda. The young people meet in Chisinau and cycle 110 kilometers from one bank of the Dniester river to the other, connecting streets glorifying Peace, crossing territories in the status of a frozen conflict, drawing their own map of the world, from toponyms, observations and personal memories.
The wall newspaper was created as part of the Coridor: Peace Street project, curated by Tatiana Fiodorova-Lefter and organized by Oberliht Association
Cahul Train Station: Life short - шиз лонг (‘shiz long’), Moldova, 2023
It was an ephemeral printing studio inside disfunctional railway station in the city of Cahul, in the steppes in the very south of Moldova. The FAX machine made it possible to print a long newspaper strip in which hallucinogenic objects from the surrounding landscapes were combined with socio-anthropological observations.Publication was related to the romantic of the fading industrial modernization of the Soсialist period, expressed in the railway system, which pierces the entire body of Moldova like a blood vessel and is now almost atrophied.
MOLDOVA_IOWA CULTURAL BRIDGE, DIY Pub Lab, CEC ArtsLink residency, Iowa, US, 2023
Exploring experimental forms of DIY printing and the search for functions in a contemporary context for such devices as the typewriter, mimeograph or letterpress, combining it and communicating through these practices with a local community of zine's enthusiasts.
First publishing Polygraph Kombinat on the Beton public beaches of Dalmatia, Split, Croatia, 2022
As part of Floating Connections project duo known as Kolxoz, Maxim Polyakov and Viktor Vejvoda, set up a temporary infrastructure for autonomous thermal printing of micro-publications: newspaper, postcards and manifestos. At the same time, it works as a spontaneous café and a socio-cultural centre, exploring the potential of public spaces on the Adriatic coast. This mobile infrastructure is a continuation of the Kombinat project, which began in OSTRALE Biennale (Dresden), where cargo ISO container was transform into pop-up publishing house.
Иether Earth Library, Chișinău, Muzeum Zemstv, 2021
First time Иether Earth Library was created as self-organized temporary service and as an open communication space for book enthusiasts, experimental publishing and DIY-printed matter - «samizdat». The library functioned and transformed during September-October 2021. It was both an infrastructure facility and a social sculpture. Collective work based on the cooperation of Maxim Polyakov [MD/PMR], Viktor Vejvoda [CZ], Kalmia Strong [US] and the participation of colleagues and friends who were part of events, production, exchange of knowledge and books. It was an intersection and meeting place not only for people, but also for books and prints made by various publishers and collectives from Europe, America and other locations.
Discussions around the topic of books and non-formal education of each other were supplemented by self-organized cafe-buffet "Orbita", parties, exhibitions and experimental point for production and distribution of fast-cooking short-run low-cost publications - «Sawarma from Kolxoz». During the process was development of prototypes and methods of cultural work in places like Muzeum Zemstv - historical buildings with lost function, uncertain status, crisis conditions related to the period of transition and the periphery of public attention.
https://locals.md/2021/iether-earth-reading-table/
PERIFERIA / PERIPHERY, 2020
Author of the introductory text to the educational program Edu-Art 2020, organized by the Oberliht Association. This text presents the different points of view on the phenomenon of the Periphery.
"Considering the processes of cultural production, the periphery can be identified by asking the question of where this or that process is born, and where it comes in the form of a ready-made model." Full text
Based on the hypotheses formed in the text, a series of exhibitions and pop-up events were held during the program (August-September, 2020). Working with the concept of temporary cultural institutions and rethinking the function of different spaces, the following were activated: an abandoned museum building, an uninhabited rural house in the north of Moldova, public spaces in an urban and suburban environment of Chishinau.
GARDEN COMRADESHIP ELECTROMASH, 2020
Work with a place in the south of the Transnistrian, in the steppe zone, where functional temporary installations, spontaneous exhibitions and a radio station were created in the period March-July 2020. More info (RO and EN)
WHAT REMAINS WHEN EVERYONE LEAVES ?
Two brothers from Transnistria are pedaling to the heart of the demographic crisis in the Republic of Moldova. They find the village completely abandoned by people, they arrange temporary memorials in the houses of these people from the things that were left of these people. The story about it (RO)
MEMORY LIKE HYDRAULICS, 2019
This is an exhibition at the Jedna Dva Tři Gallery (Prague, Czech Republic) and result of 2 months work at Petrohradska collective - AIR residency in duo with Anton Polyakov. More info (RU)
Within the framework of the residence, artists work with different aspects of the theme of memory (biological, material, digital) and the reproduction of events, considering these processes through the prism of the evolution of the photographic image - from analogue experiences to digital overproduction.
Experiments with different methods of creating, replicating and transforming a photographic image interact with everyday practices and become part of a one process.
“It all started with a photo from 1994.
This is the first photo depicting the entire Polyakov family together. It's also a photo of Anton and Maxim's first time at the seaside. It was the greatest event of their childhood, yet only one photo of it exists. The greatest event, conserved in one single photograph. And everything is enclosed in it.
Fast-forward 25 years, the situation has changed and we can now conserve every moment of every event. As much as possible, almost infinitely, balanced, redundantly, selectively, anyway and anytime we want…”
PRISTROIKA GALLERY VS PRISTROIKA KULTURAL, 2018
This work is based on research of the Soviet dormitory infrastructure, its transformation and current conditions in the Old Ciocana microdistrict, Chisinau. One of the results was an understanding of the logic behind the appearance of the "Pristroika" phenomenon, which became features of the micro-district environment in the post-Soviet areas.
"Pristroika" is a way of DIY extension of living space by building new structures from the outside of the building facade. These architectural elements usually have a liquid status of legality and appearance which depends on the creativity and wealth of the creator. In collaboration with one of the local residents of Maria Dragan Street, an exposition was created inside the space of his "Pristroika". The owner Valentin taken a role of guide to this exhibition dedicated to the creation of this "Pristroika" and its architectural features.
On the opposite side of the street, in a parking lot specially cleared from cars for this moment, was created the second part of the work. There was an arranged pop-up gallery of phantasmagoric models of "Pristroika's" made from cardboard in collaboration with the children from the neighborhood.
The work was implemented together with Alexandra Novak in the framework of the program “PUBLIC FACADES / ISS: Stories from the Neighborhood: the trash from backyard can also shine" organized by the Oberliht Association.
GUGUTA’S DESK ON THE LESSON OF THE HISTORY OF MOLDOVA, 2019
The installation in front of the building of the former cafe "Guguta" (Central Park, Chisinau) takes into account the topic of collective memory, state of public spaces and common goods in the Republic of Moldova.
“Guguta was not welcomed. He wanted to go to school, to attend the lesson of the History of Moldova. — Again you imagine, Guguta —teacher sternly said. —You are not allowed to be here. We don’t have such lesson. Look what's up! Go play better, like all normal children. — Ok, — said Guguta. — I understood. It is good that I have my own desk. Will put it next to the window, and will look through it. Grandpa said that the story is what is happening now. If you don’t won’t me, it’s not painful and necessary. Read your own tutorials! I have my desk, I have a window, I can look out through the window - this will be my textbook.”The installation was made in a frame of “Urban Festival - Noroc Guguta!” organized by the KSA:K Center for Contemporary Art.
SEPARATE, 2018-2019
"Separatism", "frozen conflict", "self-proclaimed" — such terms are used to describe a place in which this story unfolds, its characters were born and live there, often this place is called Transnistria, which means "beyond the River Dniester".
Perceiving the above terms as stereotypical markers of the region, the heroes of this story try to make a revision their attitude to them by making a transfer from the socio-political construct to the level of the personal act.
In this attempt, the City symbolizes for them the quintessence of a ready structure in which a person at some point finds himself a hostage. Heroes see an alternative in organics of the Forest, as in a place where they can try to ask the question: What do we allow ourselves to be, when outside of the dictatorship of social expectations and perceptions.
The River separates the City from the Forest. They cross the River and enter the Forest.
All photo documentation of the process: part 1 / part 2 / part 3
WHAT DO WE THINK ABOUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT LENIN, 2018
The work touches upon the topic of collective memory and the state of the Soviet symbolic and material heritage.
Lenin makes a metaphysical journey from the burnt-out plaster of the House of Culture in the Moldovan village of Tolmazy to a Telegram chat.
leniniana_2018 was a communication space in which anyone from the audience could take part in constructing a collective image of Lenin's figure, interpreted from the current standpoint.
The work was part of the experimental exhibition "Telecomunicațiile / Телекоммуникации" which took place in the "Zpațiu" as a part of the "Public Space Days" organized by Oberliht Association in cooperation with the Apriori ILC.
SIX DREAMS ABOUT LENIN, 2018
Sound performance at Lenin's monument, Chisinau, Moldova. In Soviet times, the monument was located on the central square of the city, now moved to the city periphery.
Sounds and voices create a surrealistic picture consisting of images connected in the minds of a post-Soviet person with Lenin's figure. These images come into contact with the context of the place in which the monument is now located. Viewers listening to the audio work in front of the monument on a rainy September evening.
Video documentation: https://youtu.be/ILWTQ8WMu4w
The work was created in the frame "Writing workshop and School of viewing" organized by AZART Centrul de Proiecte Culturale.
CULTURE/FUTURE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS, 2018
Research of cultural infrastructure in the Solnechny and Silkovy neighborhoods (city of Bender, Transnistria) became part of the theoretical basis for exhibitions (Zpațiu, Chisinau and Club №19, Tiraspol), interventions in public spaces (Tiraspol, as part of a workshop with Czech artists Vladimir Turner) and excursions through neighborhood spaces.
Events were a part of the program "Public Space Days" organized by Oberliht Association in cooperation with the Apriori ILC.
HOME ON THE BORDER, 2018
A multimedia work made in collaboration with Anton Polyakov and Anna Galatonova. In the example of the former German colonies that appeared in the 19th century on the territory of today's Transnistrian region, colonization is considered as a process of settlement and development of wild, unused lands of border and buffer zones in the periphery of Russian Empire .
Through archival data, personal stories, photos, videos, text forms of expression, the authors raise the issues of collective memory and historical transformations in the countryside of their native region.
The work was exhibited at the "In / Out Transylvania Photo Festival" (Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 2018) and at the group exhibition "Transnistria seen from within" (aff Galerie, Berlin, Germany, 2018)