"No Truth Through Torture" is Kateryna and Valeriy Kuznetsov's second personal project in Ya Gallery Art Center. Concurrently with their active design work in "decorkuznetsov" studio, the couple implements their attempts to analyse social phenomena in an artistic way. Using "project approach" they create art objects that are called to express the author's interpretation of philosophic notions.

In their new exhibition the Kuznetsovs question the credibility of imposed information via the metaphor of a tree. Authors compare the condition of a barkless tree with the condition of a person who is defenseless in the face of lie and that sooner or later has to decide whether he needs truth. Studying the essence of truth, they objectify the emptiness that was left after the choice had been made.

Half-dissolved stems stand upright and gaze into empty space. Like enormous bats, they dangle from walls and remind about the light of life that once belonged to the tree.

Alongside with a straight-out definition of truth, authors proves the relativity of any attempts to perceive the reality in a mediated way. The same is true for any forced ways of its placing: the project title reminds about an ancient Russian punishment that was used towards debtors. When it became clear that tortures hadn't helped to reveal truth, the type of punishment was changed. However, the saying absorbed the original meaning of a word "pravit" (conjugate to a word "pravda" - "truth") - to demand payment for ruling the state.

Meanwhile the installation title is not only a key, but an invitation to dive into contemplation of the emptiness. Both external, reflected in a tree bark, and internal, lighted by a dream of freedom.

Olena Yegorushkina

We are surrounded by a great number of opinions and words - a huge information stream what carries both truth and lie under the word of truth. Today we are shown this day's truth as if the yesterday's one is no trustworthy any more.

But the truth either exists or not. The truth is a static and unchangeable notion. There is no yesterday, today or tomorrow's truth. The truth is the only one!

After a tree is cut down, its core is taken away and its skin - a bark - is thrown out. Things which we see and admire everyday are like trees covered with the bark. Meanwhile the bark is a protective shell against a lie.

A tree is only one of examples and images. Shell is a core. Is it necessary or not? And where is the truth - inside or outside? Is it in the tree's heart or is it outside - meticulously collected in our project?

Probably, some souls were sealed there - shining souls that sacrificed their lives for this truth. And the shell only was left to be eaten by insects.

In the Middle Ages there was an old Russian torture and punishment - so called "pravezh". People were beaten barefoot with whips and pushed out on the snow. Suffering from pain and cold, they took the blame on themselves even if they had done nothing wrong. Since this torture couldn't reveal the whole truth, it gave an origin to the saying: "No truth trough torture".

There is no truth through torture, it is inside. And inside there is an emptiness and a hope-giving light.

Valeriy Kusnetsov