LIGHT MY FIRE
Artem Lyapin
04.06 — 15.07.2025
Flor et Lavr Gallery, A-House
04.06 — 15.07.2025
Flor et Lavr Gallery, A-House
Flor et Lavr Gallery presents Light My Fire, a solo project by Artem Lyapin, on view at A–House.
Fire becomes both the main character and co-author of the artist’s latest works — a meditation on the search for and preservation of one’s inner light. For the first time, Lyapin introduces sculptural compositions and delicate laceworks made of copper wire and metal, crafted using the traditional bobbin lace technique.
Light My Fire reflects on the fragility and necessity of fire in times of darkness. In Lyapin’s pieces, fire is not portrayed as a destructive force, but as an act of warmth and attention, extended toward the other. As the artist says:
“If you have even a small fire left — bring it out. Someone else might carry that light forward.”
Fire becomes both the main character and co-author of the artist’s latest works — a meditation on the search for and preservation of one’s inner light. For the first time, Lyapin introduces sculptural compositions and delicate laceworks made of copper wire and metal, crafted using the traditional bobbin lace technique.
Light My Fire reflects on the fragility and necessity of fire in times of darkness. In Lyapin’s pieces, fire is not portrayed as a destructive force, but as an act of warmth and attention, extended toward the other. As the artist says:
“If you have even a small fire left — bring it out. Someone else might carry that light forward.”
At the heart of the works are female figures bearing flames. Lyapin emphasizes that the feminine form in his art is a bearer of light, not destruction — a deliberate choice underscoring inner fire as a gesture of vulnerability and care, rather than power or domination.
The project is interwoven with references to medieval carnival — a time of inversion and release, where roles were upended, and people found liberation in laughter, play, and ritual. The torch-bearing figures in stylized, ceremonial garments seem to have stepped out of another era — evoking archetypal images that combine solemnity with theatrical flair. These sculptures resemble archaeological relics: tangible traces of imagined rites, made real in the present.
The project’s central symbol is a sculpture of a hand holding a bud-like match, embedded in stone — a symbolic gesture, perhaps an invitation, or a silent plea: Light My Fire.
The project is interwoven with references to medieval carnival — a time of inversion and release, where roles were upended, and people found liberation in laughter, play, and ritual. The torch-bearing figures in stylized, ceremonial garments seem to have stepped out of another era — evoking archetypal images that combine solemnity with theatrical flair. These sculptures resemble archaeological relics: tangible traces of imagined rites, made real in the present.
The project’s central symbol is a sculpture of a hand holding a bud-like match, embedded in stone — a symbolic gesture, perhaps an invitation, or a silent plea: Light My Fire.
"This fire we carry:
fragile, trembling — yet enough.
To see.
To be seen.
To ignite another's flame."
— Shakhri Amirkhanova
fragile, trembling — yet enough.
To see.
To be seen.
To ignite another's flame."
— Shakhri Amirkhanova
Especially for the exhibition, handmade candle brand Svetlica has created a limited series inspired by Lyapin’s works. These candles are integrated into the sculptural candleholders and are also available in sets of 3 or 5.
Light My Fire is a gesture of vulnerability and light.
A fire that can be passed on.
Light My Fire is a gesture of vulnerability and light.
A fire that can be passed on.