the thirtiest crimmp episode is dedicated exclusively to the work of the abkhazian artist arkhip labakhua. _born in 1973, arkhip (pseudonym: sipa), is one of the leading visual artists, performers and designers of abkhazia. _he lives and works in the capital sukhum. _he studied fine arts in tbilisi and moscow and is active in the field of sculpture, design, scenography and photography. _in 1999 he founded his one man marionette theater hammock.
sipa already performed at stage ocw in september 2018. _in his 180 cm. tall, 120 cm. wide and 180 cm. deep mobile marionette theater, that fits in a a-1 sized drawing storage folder, he played his marionette show insomnia: a family story that addresses the highly topical and universal subject of ‘homeland’. _after the intermission he recited a selection of his autobiographic stories. _this time, the program featured his marionette show red actor, for which he received the grand prix of the gent international puppetbuskersfestival in 2000. _it’s a 22 minute performance based on the music of prokofiev, stravinsky and bach on the poem the dissolution by john donne. _after the intermission sipa again recited two autobiographic stories with the intrigueing titles: irakli and flugtag.
since 2012, a number of sipa’s sculptures have been erected on the black sea-front in sukhum. _one sculpture was installed close to the penguin café which is a hotspot for the city’s residents. _its title: penguin philosopher. _sipa: ‘i wanted to represent a traveler who has never been here before. _the result is a solid sculptural form which, from a distance, resembles a human figure. _this penguin is a foreigner who came to our town and feels at home here. _he is standing at a small table and jots something down.’ _on the marble plaque that lies in front of the penguin, the following words are inscribed: life is not a possession to be defended, but a gift that should be shared with other people. _sipa hopes that william faulkner’s phrase will sink into the soul of all who read it for the first time, and will urge those, to whom it has become familiar, to think about it again.
sipa plays the leading role in the documentary little man, sleeping time and the troubadour directed by the rotterdam filmmaker ineke smits. _in 2017-’18 she followed the artist on his theater tour through abkhazia. _the film, a coproduction of the IKON/EO, the filmkitchen and the belgian intifilm will be released in the course of 2019