About When Our Pineal Glands Were Big
Over the past three years Zhivago has been focusing on a narrative of creation titled When Our
Pineal Glands Were Big where he intertwines various ancient myths and symbology to scientific
research, noncanonical and canonical literature. Duncan’s theory digs a tunnel across these
passed-on legends connecting them through the evolution of Consciousness and the human
mind.
Comprised of a series of paintings and sculptures, the work serves as on-going narrative about
pre-human existence, the understanding of the gap between metaphysical and physical
realities and an ethereal pre human / post conscious world that once existed where
architecture and form held philosophical, scientific and theanthropic values.
About Under The Volcano
The four carved black Raku ceramic totems shown portray examples of Zhivago Duncan’s visual
language unique to his story.
In this particular installation, through the process and materiality of the art work Zhivago
creates a link to the Polynesian Goddess Pele that he had encountered during his younger
years living on the island of Maui, Hawaii. Pele, in Hawaiian culture, is responsible for the
controlling of lava flows, volcanic activity and subsequently the creator of the Hawaiian
archipelago - the installation reflects on the creation of energy and life within the sanctuary of
volcanic caves under the impact of heat and pressure.
The Raku ceramic pieces when fired for a second time are taken out of the kiln at one thousand
degrees Celsius, while still glowing like red molten lava; the totems are then placed in large
steel barrels filled with paper. The red hot ceramics touch the paper and immediately set it
ablaze, then the steel barrels are covered shut to suffocate the flames inundating the barrel
and the ceramic in smoke. The smoke penetrates the white ceramic leaving it permanently
stained in the characteristic matt black of traditional Raku.