Retro is interested in the moment of transition, when the meaning of a work ceases to belong solely to the artist and begins to exist in the space of others people’s expectations. It dissolves into guesses, mistakes and hasty projections. The discrepancy between the artist’s intention and the viewer’s perception creates a special tension, sometimes reaching breaking point, the very last drop [the coup de grace].

As a sign of the liminal state, a moment of accumulation and transition, the drop is the central symbol of the project. New objects seem to ‘overflow’: fluid, teardrop-shaped forms of varying densities and colours enter a dialogue with geometric structures and strict architectural elements. At the same time the artist emphasises the extreme control of his practice and the role of the medium. “There is no place for chance in my works – every line, every seam is carefully considered, every decision bears meaning,” says Retro.

The technique of repeated sanding, polishing and varnishing erases the wood texture, nullifying the ‘naturalness’ of the material. The viewer starts to wonder if they are looking at wood, plastic or metal. For the artist this side effect is archived. Contemporary visual culture imposes on us a plastic ideal – smooth, sterile, devoid of history. This is precisely why viewers reflexively perceive Retro’s objects as industrial. This cultural automatism is the paradox of his works made from wood and the core of the exhibition.

In Dima Retro’s works familiar categories of perception begin to shift: the flat acquires volume, the static finds movement and the heavy assumes the ability to float. This loosening of foundations continues in the texts. Familiar speech formulas (‘deep breath’, ‘double bottom’, ‘free fall’, etc.) lose their grip on conventional logic; they disintegrate into individual letters, becoming fluid constructs that require revision or even mechanical reassembly.

‘The Last Drop’ becomes the street artist’s conversation about the fragility of perception and how easily truths can be called into question. What seems obvious turns out to be an illusion. And occasionally just one small detail is enough for the entire system of meanings to crack – that very last drop.

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Dima Retro (b. 1993, St. Petersburg) is a graffiti writer and artist. His first works appeared in 2008. His practice focuses on classical graffiti – so-called ‘style writing’ – while also actively pursuing studio work in which he experiments with materials and surfaces, creating spatial assemblages and reliefs. He has participated in key Russian and international festivals and exhibitions, including the Roskilde Festival (Copenhagen, Denmark), Step in the Arena (Eindhoven, the Netherlands), Meeting of Styles (Wiesbaden, Germany and Milan, Italy in various years), Faces&Laces, the NOWALLS project (Winzavod, Moscow), the International Biennale of Environmental Art (Nizhny Novgorod), Adults Allowed (Russian Museum, St. Petersburg), and also Ruarts group projects. His works are represented in the collection of the Ruarts Foundation and important private collections.