Interview with Victor A. Syrnev

Victor A. Syrnev ("VAS") interviewed on Wednesday, 15 August.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

VAS : V.S. In 1970, I took part in an art exhibition for the first time, having presented several silver jewelries. The successful beginning of creative activity, my works were awarded with diplomas, this inspired me, and I felt new opportunities in life. The wind blew in my sails. There were interesting projects ahead related to new materials for me (enamels, precious metals, colored and precious stones) and some work on large objects for the interior and for street areas. I received an invitation to take part in an unusually attractive exhibition of modern jewelry art "ORNAMENT" In 1989, in Pforzheim (Germany). The “Fashion Information” Company of Cologne has organized unforgettable meetings with outstanding contemporary artists – jewelers, such as: professor Hermann Junger, Friedrich Becker and Peter Skubic.

How did you become a designer?

VAS : S.V. It happened so that I was destined to do just this thing. I have tried to do something completely different by myself, far from creative. But both times the fate found a way to return me to the originally conceived. At first my father convinced me to abandon the idea of becoming a metal turner. I have already applied for studies although. On his advice, I changed my original decision and entered the art school. Later, already having a goldsmith’s profession behind me, I entered the Academy of Sports. I wanted to work as a coach. But one semester was enough to understand that I did not do my own thing.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

VAS : V.S. Due to my new place of residence (Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan) where I moved from Yekaterinburg (Ural, Russia) in 1966, I found myself in a new geographical and cultural environment. This is the territory of the ancient Great Silk Road. And the theme of the Silk Road became the main thing in my work. I managed to realize dreams here that I did not dream about before. Here I managed to create works that I did not plan.I must say that I use traditional technologies in working with sketches (pencils, paints, plasticine), I create mock-ups in the material for large objects by myself.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

VAS : S.V. I am inspired by the living nature and sorcery of ancient masters. Creating jewelry is always a dialogue between the idea and the material. Metal has a heart and participates in the work. He is a lively and spiritual partner - he makes his own corrections and he is a co-author.Creativity makes me feel the highest pleasure, which is equivalent to loving ecstasy. But this is not a short flash, but a time-consuming, incomparable pleasure. Robert Thurman, a professor at Columbia University, Buddhist, a close friend of the Dalai Lama and one of the world's top thinkers, compares the process of creativity with orgasm.My work is ... "the ashes of my dreams."

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

VAS : S.V. Several of my projects, large in scope and content, arose in response to the works or events that struck me. Among them: A) After acquaintance with the lyric poem of Johann W. Goethe "West - Eastern Divan" (1819) and with the miniature of the Persian calligrapher Reza Abbasi "Shepherd" (1634), arose a collection of objects and ornaments from twenty objects.B) The family of the Emperor of Russia Nicholas II; his wife, daughters and son, various happy events in their lives are devoted to the collection of "Romanovs". Two works from this collection were awarded on the 2014th at your competition with gold prizes.C) Introduction to the book by Professor Jürgen Kestler "Palmistry" in 1911 served as the basis for the appearance of the collection of jewelry "Palmistry". A brooch from this collection is awarded with a gold prize in 2013 at your competition.E) Looking at S. Botticelli's paintings "The Birth of Venus" and "Spring", the sight is always stops on dancing female figures covered with transparent silks. It's amazing how the Italian Renaissance artists presented the world with silk from China. We do not think about looking at these great works, what role the Great Silk Road played in their appearance. It gave Europe precious silk. Impressed by the canvas of S. Botticelli "Birth of Venus" my object with the same name appeared. In addition to the figure of Venus itself, other elements of the painting found their place in this object. All these elements freely exist in space. They maintain their balance due to balance and harmony with other elements of the object.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

VAS : S.V. I have been working on an interesting direction for me for already several years, the idea of which has been formulated briefly - "Blue birds of Kyrgyzstan". Once traveling around the country, my friends and I met a flock of blue birds. Their color and their game got into my soul. Gradually I came to understand what objects can be about this topic. Several works have already been created. One of the objects is set in the city of Idar-Oberstein’s Sculpture Park, as a gift to my friend and colleague Bernd Munsteiner, who lives there.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

VAS : V.S. The world is changing so rapidly. Nowadays such technologies are developing and there are such technical possibilities around me, that I have a lot of doubts on this background. Will I be able to recommend something for the future, with my current ideas about the development of society in 10-15 years? But, apparently, the main thing for all will remain the synthesis of talent, knowledge and mastery of the craft. Indomitable desire to improve and rebuild myself, based on emerging requirements.

What is your day to day look like?

VAS : The daily life of an object consists of thinking about the work that is being done now. About such work which - you are preparing for. The artist's life consists of thinking about work, which suddenly materialize and come to you in a dream. What you could not solve in the daytime comes at night, like a ready answer. You just need to get up and fix what you see. The second time may not come, and you will not remember. In the morning I try to fix important thoughts before I hear the morning news. This news can scare me away. Often, quietly sounding classical music helps to concentrate, to fence off from extraneous noise.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

VAS : S.V. The creation of jewelry is accompanied by an explosion of modern technological and technological achievements. However, on the first place is Idea, Thought. Technic and technology are just tools. But these tools allow you to find some new ways and forms for presenting your Idea. My ideas about Beauty go forward when I start introducing new material for me or new technology into my work. Inspiration comes when I am working with material. The material itself has a soul – It comes into dialogue with my thoughts and influences them.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

VAS : V.S. Looking at every work of my completed projects, I understand that it is not completed. That it still needs to work with it. Although during the process of creation this work has changed few times, and everything - equally in it there is still something to work on. But, as a rule, work is almost impossible to change. The viewer or the buyer does not know about my doubts. And for me this "piggy bank of doubts" replenishes my experience and helps in the work on the following projects.

What is your biggest design work?

VAS : V.S. Perhaps my biggest work has already been done. This is a chandelier for the Wedding Palace in Bishkek - "The bridal veil flying over the World". I'm not sure that I will take a second time for this kind of work. The project involves so many professionals in a variety of professions. True, I am guided in this case by my experience from a completely different historical period. The period, I had to do that work. This was a planned economy of the period of socialism in the USSR. Despite the difficulties of that period, the work was successful and, according to the international jury, highly artistic. It has Platinum prize in the nomination "Retro. Eternally green design" in 2014.A large project was completed in 2017. By the order of the world brand "HENNESSY", to the 255th anniversary of the company, I performed a composition called "The Hennessy Universe". The object "The Hennessy Universe" was formed from the idea that according to the laws of Harmony. In the center of the universe there is something that attracts and retains other objects in the orbit of motion. In the case of the "Hennessy Universe", the Idea lies in the center. We live in a world of Ideas. Ideas rule the World and change the World. Material: Copper, Brass, partial gilding, precious stone of fire and cognac shades, Black and gray pearls. Object stand made of browny-red volcanic glass - Obsidian.

Who is your favourite designer?

VAS : Everyone who beautifies his life, builds a house, selects clothes for a trip to the mountains or to the theater, acts as a designer. But there are people who are about the hidden possibilities of materials and forms, with their ideas about beauty of the life reveal to us another World, a New Harmony. Those for me are Alexander Calder, René Lules, Gustav Klimt, Sandro Botticelli, Zaha Mohammad Hadid, Michael Zobel, Bernd Munsteiner.It's not a bad idea to visit the workshop of Michelangelo, when he chopped his sculptures out of marble. Just sit silently aside, breathe the air of the workshop of the Great Master.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

VAS : So it happened that my creative personal and family life was formed in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. In this cozy place, located among the mountains, living in a measured and calm rhythm, I found the harmony that allowed me to feel easily and freely. Here, European culture and the ancient culture of Asia were combined in an amazing way.Having received an artistic education oriented to European culture, here I touched on the legends and images that preserved the fragrances of the Great Silk Road. In this mixture of different cultures, in their living dialogue, you can clearly see the mutual influence and mutual enrichment of cultures.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

VAS : Competition and participation in it helps each participant to more accurately represent his own position in the world of design at this particular moment. It helps to see your own position in the general list. In addition, each of the living needs guidance, for a clear understanding of their path and their own capabilities. The victory in the competition is a credential issued by the professional community and, therefore, is highly valued.Designer of the Day! This new rubric and the unexpected offer to become its participant, made me think. I went over in my head much of what I had done over the years. I remembered those plans that could not be completed. I decided that it would be interesting for me to see the reaction of my colleagues and viewers to a new publication of my work in the press.

Victor A. Syrnev Profile