I love listening. It is one of the only spaces where you can be still and moved at the same time. — Nayyirah Waheed — Saturday November 1st — —

“What art does — maybe what it does most completely — is tell us, make us feel that what we think we know, we don’t. There are whole worlds around us that we’ve never glimpsed.” Greil Marcus — Saturday November 1st — —

The idea is to die young as late as possible. — Ashley Montagu — Saturday November 1st — —

Inspirations — Sergei Sviatchenko

We’ve been following the very talented Kharkiv, Ukraine-born and Denmark-based Sergei Sviatchenko since he stepped into the limelight about five years ago. This starting point was the foundation of Close Up and Private in 2009, Sergei’s online art project in which he shared his collage-like photographic vision on style, which quickly rose to fame through both the created aesthetic as Sergei’s own impeccable style. Based on this fundament of Close Up and Private, Sergei recently decided to take his endeavors one step further, in a concept which features continuing collaborations with an international rage of heritage brands and skilled craftsmen. With the new project, named Private Classicist, Sergei aims to create a solid range of classic menswear items that verges on pushing the boundaries of current minimalist fashion towards the classic style championed by Sergei himself and through his work. Being highly inspired by Sergei for all these years, today we can share some questions we’ve asked him to find out what inspires a master like him.

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Please introduce yourself.
Sergei Sviatchenko, an artist.

Who is the most inspiring person in history and why?
Le Corbusier, because he was so diverse and holistic at the same time.

Who is the most inspiring person in your life and why?

Andrei Tarkovsky. Probably because he could ask not to stay on the grass before shooting tomorrow or use documental footage as an illustration of emotions.

Who do you consider the most inspiring photographer?
Arnold Newman.

And the photograph that will always stay in your mind?
Arnold Newman’s portrait of Igor Stravinsky in 1946.

Who for you is the most inspiring artist?

Marcel Duchamp – his concept removing objects from their ordinary context is genius and useful.

And what is the most inspiring music?
The Beatles!

The thing you never go without?
My watch and blood glucose measurement aid.

Your favorite city?
Paris.

Your favorite hideout?
My music room.

The website you often check?
Yours [Thank you!]

The books on your coffee table?
‘The Photobook: A History volume III’ by Martin Parr and Gerry Badger – very altruistic job to work with great books of the others. But it really stands your own achievement in the right perspective.

The books on your bedside table?
‘I Celebrate Myself’ – about Allen Ginsberg. Written by Bill Morgan.

What is your dream?
To continue my work and the Bradford by Crockett&Jones!

What would you do if you could start all over again?

Smile more often.

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Portrayed with the interview is on the one hand newly released work by Sergei which was published on the 17th of October by SCHLEBRÜGGE.EDITOR in the first monograph to focus exclusively on his prolific collage output. Edited by Rick Poynor, whose essay provides an engaging critical overview, it gathers Sergei’s most significant work from the past 10 years and shows little seen collages from his early years in Ukraine before he moved in 1990 to live and work in Denmark. Also included is some new editorial material of Sergei’s Private Classicist project.

Order ‘Sergei Sviatchenko: Collages’ online here.

Follow  Sergei’s inspirational Close Up and Private here.

See here for Private Classicist.