Andrey Ustinov (*1975, Luga / former USSR) is a Berlin-based performance and media artist working on issues of technology and media, perspective and perception, property and the commons, power and energy. His work focuses on the cognitive activity of pedestrians and their arbitrary actions in public space. Most of Ustinov’s works have a performative approach in which he either appears as a performer or initiates a technologically mediated situation that forces either the invited audience or the random, often completely unsuspecting passer-by to participate in a shared experience. This is how Ustinov develops his dance and walking performances, street furniture and posters, devices and apps, walk-through sculptures and installations, films and photographs, in which sound, light, image and electricity become artistic actors in their own right.
He was granted by Kunstfond Art Foundation, Bonn / Germany (2022), Academy of Arts Berlin (2021), IFA Stuttgart (2021), Goethe Institute (2016), shortlisted for The Innovation Art Prize by NCCA Moscow Russia (2007), participated in numerous international exhibitions, biennials, and festivals, among others, CityLeaks Festival in Cologne / Germany (2019), Media Art Biennial WRO in Wrocław / Poland (2017), Flaherty at Anthology Film Archives NYC / USA (2013), Rendez-vous at MAC Lyon / France (2008), 50th International Short Film Festival Oberhausen / Germany (2004), 1st Prague Biennale / Czech (2003).
EDUCATION:
| 2008 – 2011 | graduate at Academy of Media Arts Cologne Diploma, Cologne / Germany |
| 2005 – 2008 | undergraduate at the School of Arts and Design, Kassel / Germany |
| 2001 – 2003 | Young Artists School at the ProArte Foundation, St. Petersburg / Russia |
| 1997 – 1998 | Russian State Institute of Performing Arts, Pushkin / Russia (unfinished) |
SELECTED AWARDS / GRANTS / RESIDENCIES:
| 2022 | Neustart Special Grant from Kunstfond Art Foundation, Bonn / Germany |
| 2021 | Initial Grant from Academy of Arts, Berlin / Germany Artist Contacts Grant from IFA / Germany |
| 2020 | Corona Emergency Aid, MKW Art Grant, Cologne / Germany |
| 2016 | Goethe@WRO grant, AiR Program at WRO Art Center, Wroclaw / Poland |
| 2011 | Festival LINOLEUM. OPEN MIND 2011, Central House of Journalists, Moscow / Russia |
| 2010 | Rosa-Luxemburg Foundation Grant, Germany |
| 2009 | Comic Festival KOMMISSIA, the Best Project on Social Theme Award, Moscow / Russia |
| 2006 | TROMANALE Underground Film Festival Prize, Tacheles, Berlin / Germany |
| 2005 | nominated by National Centre for Contemporary Art by the Award „NEW GENERATION“, NCCA, Moscow / Russia |
| 2004 | EXTRA SHORT FILMS Festival Prize, Novosibirsk / Russia |
SELECTED SHOWS / ARTIST TALKS / BIENNIALS :
| 2024 | The Path, Palazzo Pisani-Revedin, Venice / Italy DRHA Banal Devices: Everyday technology in globalized technocultures, University of Music and Theatre Munich / Germany Collisions Over The Braves Canyon, Cordillera Space Berlin / Germany Political Art Zone: Crossing borders, VHS Bingen am Rhein / Germany ReRouting Walking AiR, Künstlerhof Frohnau, Berlin / Germany |
| 2023 | Gallery Informal Issue 2, Meta Space Gallery / online exhibition Exquisite AI, SHIM Art Network, Aqua Art Miami / USA Images of crisis, Media Gallery Ver.Di, Berlin / Germany Art-teenth, Court Square Exchange, Bridgeport, Connecticut / USA Exquisite Codes, Bla-Bla Project Space, Berlin / Germany |
| 2022 | Presentation: Shy Plumber, Anti-War Journal of Art and Anti-Art, Issue III . Panda Platforma, Berlin / Germany |
| 2019 | CityLeaks, Urban Art Festival, Cologne / Germany |
| 2018 | Clean Cube, Kulturtankstelle Linz / Austria |
| 2017 | (dis)appointment, WRO RESUME 2017, Wroclaw/Poland FILM NOIR, WRO Media Art Biennale 2017: Draft Systems, Wroclaw/Poland |
| 2016 | Artist Talk: DREAM FACTORY, WRO Art Center, Wroclaw / Poland OPEN POWER, Socket #1, Cologne / Germany |
| 2015 | DE:FORMAL online-gallery, New York / USA |
| Echo, 10qm, Cologne / Germany | |
| 2014 | (e)merge art fair, Capitol Skyline Hotel, Washington DC / USA |
| 2013 | Global Revolt. Flaherty NYC at Anthology Film Archives, New York / USA CUTLOG VIDEO PROGRAM, EUROPE, Paris / France CUTLOG NY VIDEO PROGRAM, CSV Center New York / USA Beyond the line, Zverev Center of Modern Arts, Moscow / Russia ARBATFEST 2013, Almaty / Kazakhstan |
| 2012 | Hypothese Zur Entstehung, Beck & Eggeling Gallery, Dusseldorf / Germany |
| 2011 | ART COLOGNE, Exhibition Hall of Academy of Media Arts, Germany PLAY OF THE ART, Warenhaus Thomas Zander Gallery, Cologne / Germany |
| 2010 | Sence of Wonder, Dortmunder U, Dortmund / Germany QUI VIVE? The 2nd Moscow Biennial for Young Arts, Moscow / Russia CYBERLAND SUMMER Screening Dam, New York / USA EFA Project Space, New York / USA ECHORAUM. Art Hall of Federal Republic of Germany, Bonn / Germany CYBERFEST, St. Petersburg / Russia |
| 2009 | The Use of Video In a WC, Bookshop Cafe Gato Vadio, Porto / Portugal ALONG THE RHEIN, KIT, Duesseldorf / Germany VIEWS Exhibition, The Center for Contemporary Arts, Kiev / Ukraine |
| 2008 | QUI VIVE? The 1st Moscow Biennial for Young Arts, Moscow / Russia Rendez-Vous Exhibition, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Lyon / France Begehungen Art Festival, Chemnitz / Germany |
| 2007 | 2nd Moscow Biennial of Contemporary Art, Moscow / Russia POLITICAMENTE (IN)CORRECTO, OFF LIMITS, Madrid / Spain The 50th International Leipzig DocFest, Leipzig / Germany Alter Arte Art Festival, Murcia / Spain International ShortFilm Festival, San Paulo / Brasil MEDIA FORUM, MOSCOW INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL / Russia |
| 2006 | TROMANALE Underground Film Festival, Tacheles, Berlin / Germany |
| 2005 | OBSERVATORI-05 Exhibition, Valencia / Spain BLIECKE AUS RUHRGEBIET Short Film Festival, Bochum / Germany The 51st International Short Film Festival Oberhausen / Germany |
| 2004 | BEYOND THE RED HORIZON, Warsaw / Poland NEW RUSSIAN VIDEO CAM, Cheisea Art Museum, New York / USA |
| 2003 | The 1st Prague Biennial, National Gallery, Prague / Czech Republic ART MOSCOW Studios, Moscow / Russia |
| 2002 | POP/ART Exhibition, Zverev Center for Contemporary Art, Moscow / Russia Exibition DAVAJ! Museum of Applied Art MAC, Vienna / Austria |
| 2001 | ART MOSCOW 2001 FAIR, Moscow / Russia ART MEDIA FORUM, St. Petersburg / Russia |
PUBLICATIONS:
Social Justice Art of the Twenties: vol. 1 by Jacqueline Amy Jackson, December 2023
Noir – Artist Book by SU4IP, edited by Lyndon Watkinson, December 2023
Collect Art Magazine, Issue #31: Street Photography / Special Edition, Tiflis / Georgia, August 2023
Wings and a Prayer, anti-war poster for Shy Plumber: Anti-War Journal of Art and Anti-Art, Issue III, Helsinki – Berlin, July 2022
FORT DA. Imagination und Religion by Anne von der Heiden. Sonderzahl Publishing House, Linz / Austria, 2022
CLEAN CUBE – Zur Kritik der reinen Vernunft by Jasmin Mersmann, Anne von der Heiden. Sonderzahl Publishing House, Linz / Austria, 2021
Workshop “Who’s Speaking? Polyphony in the Museum” Museum Academy Joanneum, Graz / Austria, 2018
ARTiculAction meets Andrey Ustinov by Josh Rider and Barbara Scott, ARTiculAction Art Review, October, 2016
Disruptive Film: Everyday Resistance to Power, Vol. 1 DVD, curated by Ernest Larsen & Sherry Millner, Studio FACETS, 2016
Andrey Ustinov: Art belongs to vandals! Artist Talk on lektorium.tv, Febrary 7, 2013
off topic #2: beschweren Magazine for media arts, 2010, Cologne / Germany
MEDIA & PRESS:
BirdTalks #14 Interview by Salissou Oumarou, Underground Art Academy, May 06, 2020
Wo es Schmutz gibt, gibt es ein System by Victoria Windtner, Die Referentin, June 1, 2018
Cell phone charging to go by Erik Butterbrot, Lokalzeit aus Köln. WDR TV Germany, November 15, 2016
„If your phone‘s battery is empty“ by Jan Heikrodt, RTL-West TV Germany, May 9, 2016
Project „Open Power“: artist shows hundred free outlets in Cologne Kölnische Rundschau, May 9, 2016
Project „Open Power“: Andrey Ustinov shows 100 sockets in public space by Alexandra Spuerk, Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger, May 6, 2016
Interview with Andrey Ustinov by DE:FORMAL Online-Gallery NY, September 24, 2015
„(e)merge art fair at the Capitol Skyline Hotel“ by Michael O’Sullivan, “The Washington Post”, October 2, 2014
Andrey Ustinov: How to become an “european” artist: a walkthrough Interview by Anna Matveeva, Artguide magazine, Juny 2, 2014