Ginzburg’s sculptures are like specimens, but packed with meaning and emotion.
- read the full review by Emma Kisiel on Muybridge’s Horse blog
April 12th, 2013 | Comment | filed under press
March 29th, 2013 | Comment | filed under Hemiptera
This new work, titled Habitat, depicts a reproductive system of a hermaphrodite freshwater snail Biomphalaria Tenagophila. I was particularly attracted to the coral-like patterns of some of it’s organs. The mollusca is mounted by other invertebrates from similar water-dependent habitats: fly larvae, riffle beetle, mayfly, and a mosquito.
Habitat, 2013
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March 13th, 2013 | 2 Comments | filed under Hemiptera, self-portraits
My fascination with an unknown Swabian artist who painted Portrait of a Woman of the Hofer Family in mid-15th century continues in this new piece, titled Forget Me Not. The figure and the namesake flower are adorned with five most critically endangered invertebrates today as classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Zoological Society of London. To find out their species names, please see captions down below.
Forget Me Not, 2013
Hemicycla paeteliana, Canary Islands
Cebu Frill-wing, Philippines
Franklin’s Bumble Bee, California, USA
Beydaglari Bush Cricket, Turkey
Delta green ground beetle, California, USA
- Portrait of a Woman of the Hofer Family, 1470
February 4th, 2013 | Comment | filed under Curiophyla, Hemiptera
This new work, titled Fern, completes the trio of floral-like insect morphology pieces. Presented here are the eyes, antennas, and mouthparts of a common moth, adorned with a caterpillar and a house fly (a small tribute to my currently favorite painting by an unknown Swabian artist).
Fern, 2013
Fern, 2013
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January 20th, 2013 | Comment | filed under Hemiptera, self-portraits
My fascination with hemipterans continues in this new self-portrait. This time inspired by Elsa Schiaparelli’s Necklace of metallic bugs and 16th century ruff collars.
Untitled (Schiaparelli’s collar), 2013
Untitled (Schiaparelli’s collar), 2013
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October 27th, 2012 | 1 Comment | filed under Hemiptera, self-portraits
This new piece, titled Liszt Inside, is inspired by a 19th-century Hungarian composer Franz Liszt’s luminous composition Un Sospiro in D-Flat Major. While listening to this music I imagined a radiating light coming from the inside, attracting other life forms.
Liszt Inside
detail of a stick insect
detail of a dragonfly hatching out of it’s larvae
detail of a stag beetle
detail of a leaf insect
September 9th, 2012 | Comment | filed under Curiophyla
Continuing with floral motifs, this new work is inspired by a curious Ophiocordyceps fungus which infects ants and slowly takes over their brains, effectively turning them into “zombie ants.” The fungus then methodically directs it’s prey into a cool, moist place where it kills the insect as fruiting bodies erupt out of it’s lifeless shell. A perfect example of an eerie, mysterious, and beautiful nature of living things.
Fungi, Curiophyla, 2012
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September 5th, 2012 | Comment | filed under press
By reducing things to their most basic, cellular level, Ginzburg illustrates a deep connection between past and present.
- a review of my series Curiophyla on beautifuldecay.com.
August 20th, 2012 | Comment | filed under exhibitions, self-portraits
This is my latest work commissioned for a group show at the Museo Civico of Bassano del Grappa, Italy. I was asked to pick a piece from the museum’s rich permanent collection of works by Italian masters and reinterpret it in my own way. I chose the Head of Medusa, which appears to be a study for Antonio Canova’s renowned Perseus with the Head of Medusa.
A self-portrait in character is punctuated by a Red Sea Coral which, according to the legend, was formed from Medusa’s blood mixing in with the seaweed. The show, appropriately titled Past Forward and curated by Giovanni Cervi, Yasha Young, and Diego Knore, opens on August 31st and runs through the end of September. More details here.
Untitled (self-portrait as Medusa with coral), 2012
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reference image from the museum’s collection
August 17th, 2012 | Comment | filed under press
Ginzburg creates work that is coming from a personal place.
- a beautifully written and thoughtful review of my work on Hi-Fructose Magazine’s blog by Jane Kenoyer
July 23rd, 2012 | Comment | filed under word
membranes
diagram of a soul
such mystery to me
burn juniper
the one who has been told the ancient things
June 14th, 2012 | Comment | filed under Curiophyla, Hemiptera
I am once again inspired by the animal anatomy that resembles flowers. The blossoming structure in this piece is actually a frog’s eighth cranial nerve that carries information from the inner ear to the brain (see the reference image I used for sculpting here). Adorned with two mating dragonflies, it pays homage to the beautifully delicate miniature paintings of Joris Hoefnagel.
Swamp, Curiophyla, 2012
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May 16th, 2012 | Comment | filed under Curiophyla, Hemiptera
This new image, titled Bee Keeper, is inspired by the early 20th century scientific illustrations by R. E. Snodgrass. Continuing with the floral theme of my previous two pieces, the shape depicted constitutes of reproductive organs, sting, and poison glands of a honey bee queen.
Bee Keeper, Curiophyla, 2012
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April 18th, 2012 | Comment | filed under Curiophyla
This piece, titled Pearls, for my ongoing project Curiophyla is dedicated to my mother and my aunt (left and right respectively). Being identical twins they’ve spent their whole lives together until my family moved to the US thirteen years ago and my mother was forced to leave her sister behind back in Russia. With this flower, once again inspired by vintage botanical charts, I wanted to remember their beauty, youth, and many devoted years together.
Pearls, Curiophyla, 2012
Pearls, Curiophyla, 2012
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March 18th, 2012 | Comment | filed under Curiophyla, self-portraits
This new piece is based on an ancient medicinal practice, called bloodletting, which involved withdrawal of small quantities of blood from a patient to cure various ailments. It is rooted in an idea that all fluids in our bodies exist in equilibrium, which must be restored once a person gets sick. I also came across ‘spiritual’ bloodletting, which, I imagined, involved draining extra blood from the heart to restore serenity of the soul. Furthermore, this work is inspired by Frida Kahlo’s painting Las Dos Fridas.
Bloodletting (self-portrait) Curiophyla, 2012
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