Presented at Z2O Galleria during her first solo exhibition in Rome called ‘Un, due, tre, fuoco’, the series is a collection of aesthetic and conceptual works that make impressive use of an unusual medium. Borrowing its name from the Latin term used in publishing for the correction of a book after its original text is published, in ‘Errata Corrige’ Panikanova attempts to visually rewrite the innermost stories of the human psyche by directly intervening on the pages of open books. Arranging old books, notebooks and prints from different eras into an irregular grid, Panikanova puts together an unconventional oversized canvas of interrupted surfaces. Laid out in groups, the books resemble pieces of a puzzle that appear to be interchangeable yet heavily reliant on one another, very much like the experiences and memories that collectively piece together a lifetime. The outcome is a series of spectacular three-dimensional artworks that shy away from the conventional format of painting, flirting instead, with the set-up of an installation.

Inspired by the metaphor of an oyster that produces a pearl when stimulated by a stress element as small as a sand grain, Ekaterina Panikanova explores the emotional trigger that can evoke childhood images, traumas and experiences that everyone carries around with them all their lives. The drawings recall themes of one’s life, childhood memories and experiences, prompting strong impressions and moods through small yet expressive details. Using black ink, she intensely maps a vivid journey into the subconscious through images and symbols that study, investigate and highlight the most profound and obscure roots of our being. Portraits of people and animals are interchanged with antlers, cakes, rocking horses; all kinds of fascinating objects in fact that evoke long-forgotten childhood memories. Through the various forms and meanings, a beautiful and mystifying new world comes to life, just like the characters and stories we mentally create when reading a book.

Through its simplicity and evocative intensity, Ekaterina Panikanova’s ‘Errata Corrige’ creates a striking visual synthesis of drawings that beautifully speculate on our deepest sentiments, recollections and thoughts.