07.03.2020
Project Characters
About Characters
Knight & Wolf music album has a storyline set out in illustrations and poems created by Alexander Denisov. This storyline has characters that influence the main character and his actions. In this article we will talk about them.
In 2020 an artist Marina Mitina managed to finish the portraits of the album characters. Alexander was planning to do that after album release but he passed away before he could finish his work. Now when the portraits are ready we can finally talk about the characters and what purpose they have.
The primary idea of the illustrations was to describe a man’s life path and focus on this character as a main object of poeticizing. We drew inspiration from tarot cards where the crucial life vicissitudes are illustrated through symbols. It relates to both storyline illustrations and the characters portraits created afterwards.
It’s worth mentioning that we hadn’t illustrated everything there is in man’s life. We were looking only at those parts that could be related to the dream concept, self-determinations, ambitions and choice. The characters of our work should have become the symbols that embody certain ambitions of a person in this context.
Each album illustration is a symbol that could be compared to one from Arkana tarot. But apart from the storyline cards there are also character cards and court cards. Now thanks to Marina Mitina’s works we can add our personal cards to a unique deck of project cards.
In 2020 an artist Marina Mitina managed to finish the portraits of the album characters. Alexander was planning to do that after album release but he passed away before he could finish his work. Now when the portraits are ready we can finally talk about the characters and what purpose they have.
The primary idea of the illustrations was to describe a man’s life path and focus on this character as a main object of poeticizing. We drew inspiration from tarot cards where the crucial life vicissitudes are illustrated through symbols. It relates to both storyline illustrations and the characters portraits created afterwards.
It’s worth mentioning that we hadn’t illustrated everything there is in man’s life. We were looking only at those parts that could be related to the dream concept, self-determinations, ambitions and choice. The characters of our work should have become the symbols that embody certain ambitions of a person in this context.
Each album illustration is a symbol that could be compared to one from Arkana tarot. But apart from the storyline cards there are also character cards and court cards. Now thanks to Marina Mitina’s works we can add our personal cards to a unique deck of project cards.
Knight
Knight is a man who leads his life in search of his purpose. It is a conqueror who however, does not have his army and only has an old axe. Tarot cards have a similar character who remind of a Knight. It is The Fool and it’s the first card of the cards deck.
Quite often The Fool is represented as a young man who has only got a small bundle of his belongings on a stick. He is definitely searching for something and is at the very beginning of his path. And it is also interesting that most traditional tarot cards picture him in front of an abyss that he does not see because his eyes are set to the sky or backward. It seems that The Fool has no clue about what awaits him in future.
Knight’s aspiration leads him to other candidates of a dream. Those who got lost in Land of Mist. But then they meet a Guide who indicates a way to a far away Castle. After that, Knight knows for sure what he wishes for and guided by this desire, he starts a fight with his competitors for the Sacred Sword.
Finally, Knight takes the place of a Castle ruler. He become its Master. But does he really consider and need a dream that he started to hate? Now everyone who enters the throne room will strive for dethroning him. Is this what he wished for when he started his journey?
The viewers might be interested to learn that Knight escaping from Castle is an alternative ending. Ilya assumed that the Knight's path ends in the Castle. However, Alexander insisted that the Knight leave the Castle.
The path of the Knight, his return, is a statement that a person is free to become a Fool again at any moment. He can set himself free from the imposed symbols and find his own. And this is probably where the Knight’s bravery is needed most.
Quite often The Fool is represented as a young man who has only got a small bundle of his belongings on a stick. He is definitely searching for something and is at the very beginning of his path. And it is also interesting that most traditional tarot cards picture him in front of an abyss that he does not see because his eyes are set to the sky or backward. It seems that The Fool has no clue about what awaits him in future.
Knight’s aspiration leads him to other candidates of a dream. Those who got lost in Land of Mist. But then they meet a Guide who indicates a way to a far away Castle. After that, Knight knows for sure what he wishes for and guided by this desire, he starts a fight with his competitors for the Sacred Sword.
Finally, Knight takes the place of a Castle ruler. He become its Master. But does he really consider and need a dream that he started to hate? Now everyone who enters the throne room will strive for dethroning him. Is this what he wished for when he started his journey?
The viewers might be interested to learn that Knight escaping from Castle is an alternative ending. Ilya assumed that the Knight's path ends in the Castle. However, Alexander insisted that the Knight leave the Castle.
The path of the Knight, his return, is a statement that a person is free to become a Fool again at any moment. He can set himself free from the imposed symbols and find his own. And this is probably where the Knight’s bravery is needed most.
Guide
Guide offers a direction to the main character and other candidates of Castle throne. He becomes a leader of a congregation. Then he appears once again in Castle to approve a new ruler. He is basically not an antagonist but all the Knight’s decisions are influenced by him.
Tarot cards have references to Guide characters. Those are The Magician and The Hierophant. The latter is illustrated as a clergyman of the highest rank and the Magician as a sacrificer or a charmer. But at the same time there is a big difference between them. In tarology the card of The Magician symbolizes a curiosity and an understanding of the reality. While the Hierophant represents an adherence to idea, doctrine and rules.
We created Guide in a way that he could combine all those qualities together. He knows better than anyone else that the Knight’s efforts to take Castle are doomed to failure. He does not have a faith in Knight. Nevertheless, he has no choice but find a ruler for Castle. He is both someone who breathes life into a doctrine and someone who depends on it as a priest depends on his congregation.
Quite often The Hierophant is illustrated with other priests who bend their knees before him. And he always possesses the attributes of power over the spiritual dimension of a person. Guide also possess an attribute: Cup of Envy. We created it in such a way so that it reminds an ecclesiastical chalice which is used by the christians during the communion service.
The original Ilya did not plan to create a Guide. Alexander added it to the plot concept, completely transforming the plot. Alexander portrayed the Guide as blind. Guide is like The Magician of tarot cards who sees beyond the surface of a human nature and understands much more than a Castle ruler and those who want to dethrone him. Unfortunately, this knowledge impedes him from having faith and meaning to see other things.
Tarot cards have references to Guide characters. Those are The Magician and The Hierophant. The latter is illustrated as a clergyman of the highest rank and the Magician as a sacrificer or a charmer. But at the same time there is a big difference between them. In tarology the card of The Magician symbolizes a curiosity and an understanding of the reality. While the Hierophant represents an adherence to idea, doctrine and rules.
We created Guide in a way that he could combine all those qualities together. He knows better than anyone else that the Knight’s efforts to take Castle are doomed to failure. He does not have a faith in Knight. Nevertheless, he has no choice but find a ruler for Castle. He is both someone who breathes life into a doctrine and someone who depends on it as a priest depends on his congregation.
Quite often The Hierophant is illustrated with other priests who bend their knees before him. And he always possesses the attributes of power over the spiritual dimension of a person. Guide also possess an attribute: Cup of Envy. We created it in such a way so that it reminds an ecclesiastical chalice which is used by the christians during the communion service.
The original Ilya did not plan to create a Guide. Alexander added it to the plot concept, completely transforming the plot. Alexander portrayed the Guide as blind. Guide is like The Magician of tarot cards who sees beyond the surface of a human nature and understands much more than a Castle ruler and those who want to dethrone him. Unfortunately, this knowledge impedes him from having faith and meaning to see other things.
Pathfinder
Pathfinder meets Knight after the fight for Sacred Sword and helps him to recover from the wounds he has taken. This is not illustrated in paintings. Although it does appear in the libretto. Unlike other candidates for the throne, Pathfinder does not desire Knight’s death.
This character does not have a reference to one of the tarot cards. But he has a personal shield with a heraldic symbol of a wolf which demonstrates clearly the values that the characters share. Just like Knight he sets his path to Castle not for the sake of taking it, but rather for a newfound friend so that he can help find a safe way and defend him.
Pathfinder is like Guide in some ways because he gives direction to certain ideas. But Pathfinder acts in the interest of the main character and becomes his ally. By this union we tried to demonstrate cohesion of two masculine principles: a conqueror and a defender. Their brother-like journey illustrates both the fundamental value of genuine friendship in man’s life and two opposing traits of man’s character.
If Knight is someone who attacks, then Pathfinder is the one who defends. That is why Pathfinder abandons Knight when the latter meets a Young Lady. At that moment Pathfinder chooses love over friendship, thus fulfilling his true purpose: defend the world as it is. And Knight in turn, remains alone once again.
But friendship and love do not come out unscathed. Pathfinder leaves Knight his sword and now the main character can defend against himself.
This character does not have a reference to one of the tarot cards. But he has a personal shield with a heraldic symbol of a wolf which demonstrates clearly the values that the characters share. Just like Knight he sets his path to Castle not for the sake of taking it, but rather for a newfound friend so that he can help find a safe way and defend him.
Pathfinder is like Guide in some ways because he gives direction to certain ideas. But Pathfinder acts in the interest of the main character and becomes his ally. By this union we tried to demonstrate cohesion of two masculine principles: a conqueror and a defender. Their brother-like journey illustrates both the fundamental value of genuine friendship in man’s life and two opposing traits of man’s character.
If Knight is someone who attacks, then Pathfinder is the one who defends. That is why Pathfinder abandons Knight when the latter meets a Young Lady. At that moment Pathfinder chooses love over friendship, thus fulfilling his true purpose: defend the world as it is. And Knight in turn, remains alone once again.
But friendship and love do not come out unscathed. Pathfinder leaves Knight his sword and now the main character can defend against himself.
Young Lady
Young Lady meets Knight and Pathfinder after their common journey. This happens before Knight takes the Castle. Young Lady’s appearance on the way of two friends is a turning point in their history together. Her appearance provokes love of a man to a woman as she is.
Tarot cards have characters that remind us of a Young Lady. Those are The High Priestess and The Empress. These cards have different meanings but overall they tell us about feminine nature and its sensuality.
If The Empress is a woman as it is, The High Priestess is her mysterious trait which attracts men just as a great dream does.
Young Lady is closely connected with Pathfinder like love is connected with the necessity to defend its fruit and seek out its hidden sides. That is why there is no wonder why Pathfinder chooses love over friendship. His choice is to defend the world and the world exists for children.
Quite often friendship between men breaks down because of love to a woman. It could also just alter but will never stay the same. Pathfinder and Young Lady symbolize a sensual unity and someone else here becomes the third wheel. Now the friends have different dreams and each of them sacrifices something for it. Pathfinder sacrifices the friendship while Knight sacrifices his faith in love.
Tarot cards have characters that remind us of a Young Lady. Those are The High Priestess and The Empress. These cards have different meanings but overall they tell us about feminine nature and its sensuality.
If The Empress is a woman as it is, The High Priestess is her mysterious trait which attracts men just as a great dream does.
Young Lady is closely connected with Pathfinder like love is connected with the necessity to defend its fruit and seek out its hidden sides. That is why there is no wonder why Pathfinder chooses love over friendship. His choice is to defend the world and the world exists for children.
Quite often friendship between men breaks down because of love to a woman. It could also just alter but will never stay the same. Pathfinder and Young Lady symbolize a sensual unity and someone else here becomes the third wheel. Now the friends have different dreams and each of them sacrifices something for it. Pathfinder sacrifices the friendship while Knight sacrifices his faith in love.
Master
Master is a ruler of Castle. He appears in the storyline when Knight meets him in a throne hall. He is an enemy that the main character must defeat to obtain his dream. Although when Knight finds him, it turns out that Master is a breathless mummy and languid remains of a human being.
Among tarot cards there is a Major Arkana which serves as a great reference to Master. This is a card of The Emperor. It interprets quite easily. This card symbolizes a man’s nature to obtain power over material world.
We illustrated our Emperor as a warrior, same as Knight, to show connection between the two. In this interrelations of the two characters we showed the generation gap. The young ones overthrown the old to set new rules but they do not notice that after taking their place they become invisible themselves.
Knight and Master are contenders who for their most part contribute to creation of symbols that all the generations go through. All the rulers of Castle should not abandon its shadow because there have been many sacrifices made for the sake of its throne. Like the ones that Knight made. Master cannot allow those sacrifices be in vain. This is his virtue and his curse.
Once Master had gone through the same long path. Like Knight he desired to take the throne of Castle. But his time will come to an end and his symbols will weaken. The symbol for which there were sacrifices made. For the world of people and their symbols to exist, Guide will find a new Master. And if one Knight finds courage to remain The Fool and abandon Castle, there will always be someone else ready to drink Envy Cup to the end.
Among tarot cards there is a Major Arkana which serves as a great reference to Master. This is a card of The Emperor. It interprets quite easily. This card symbolizes a man’s nature to obtain power over material world.
We illustrated our Emperor as a warrior, same as Knight, to show connection between the two. In this interrelations of the two characters we showed the generation gap. The young ones overthrown the old to set new rules but they do not notice that after taking their place they become invisible themselves.
Knight and Master are contenders who for their most part contribute to creation of symbols that all the generations go through. All the rulers of Castle should not abandon its shadow because there have been many sacrifices made for the sake of its throne. Like the ones that Knight made. Master cannot allow those sacrifices be in vain. This is his virtue and his curse.
Once Master had gone through the same long path. Like Knight he desired to take the throne of Castle. But his time will come to an end and his symbols will weaken. The symbol for which there were sacrifices made. For the world of people and their symbols to exist, Guide will find a new Master. And if one Knight finds courage to remain The Fool and abandon Castle, there will always be someone else ready to drink Envy Cup to the end.
Knight & Cinder
Knight & Cinder created by Marina Mitina following the sketches of Alexander. You might find this a little bizarre that it is placed together with the characters description. Let me explain why it is important.
In the original illustrations, the story begins when Knight encounters a maze of life. He gazes at a far away horizon. He has a long journey ahead. He is armed and fully determined. It could look like this is actually the beginning of his journey. But even when someone intends to jump from a cliff, this person should first venture to do so. So as each river has its source, each intention should have a cause.
Knight & Cinder painting aims to show that Knight’s journey started long before he set his path for the dream fight. The storyline of Knight & Night video tells about the events that happened before the ones told in the album. Only together with the painting they create a fully finished image of a backstory. The viewer could try to look at them together.
The lifepath of many boys start with pains, humiliation, losses, lack of caring and disappointment in childhood dreams. The birth of a child can be overshadowed by many tragedies. Therefore, the woman in the picture seems to perish and dissolve in ashes.
This is all part of Knight. This is his source, his mother and his alma mater. When he accepts a handkerchief, we see a deep disappointment that Knight has been escaping his whole life but at the same time kept it close to his heart.
In the original illustrations, the story begins when Knight encounters a maze of life. He gazes at a far away horizon. He has a long journey ahead. He is armed and fully determined. It could look like this is actually the beginning of his journey. But even when someone intends to jump from a cliff, this person should first venture to do so. So as each river has its source, each intention should have a cause.
Knight & Cinder painting aims to show that Knight’s journey started long before he set his path for the dream fight. The storyline of Knight & Night video tells about the events that happened before the ones told in the album. Only together with the painting they create a fully finished image of a backstory. The viewer could try to look at them together.
The lifepath of many boys start with pains, humiliation, losses, lack of caring and disappointment in childhood dreams. The birth of a child can be overshadowed by many tragedies. Therefore, the woman in the picture seems to perish and dissolve in ashes.
This is all part of Knight. This is his source, his mother and his alma mater. When he accepts a handkerchief, we see a deep disappointment that Knight has been escaping his whole life but at the same time kept it close to his heart.
“
Can we say that our work is an illustration of Friedrich Nietzsche’s quote: He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. This is exactly what I had in mind at first while creating these characters. But our collaboration with my father showed me that this is not only about life’s cyclical nature. Unconsciously both of us came to understand what a person should do when he/she understood how the symbols are created and what he/she is offered to do for the sake of them.
It all started with realization that each of us have been and still remain Knight, Pathfinder, Guide and Master. Each man can find himself in one of this stances. This is quite easy to prove if we look at my example. To create this project I had to sacrifice many things. Now I manage this symbol as Master, draw attention to it as Guide and defend it as Pathfinder. At the same time, I do not cease to be Knight because this is my weapon that I use to carve out the way forward.
My father and I realized that people's desires and feelings need to be embodied in symbols. But a symbol is impossible without sacrifice. It seems that all human activity is focused on making a sacrifice and then reflecting on what has been done. It is paradoxical that people reproduce this algorithm from generation to generation, but my main conclusion is different.
I realized that there is no one symbol which would unite everyone and explain everything. Those times remained in the past. In the future we will have symbols that any individual can create for himself. Just like my father and I did. Apparently, only in this way can a thinking person find himself, his role in the world of people.
But what does it mean: to find your true self? To form a certain perception of things and together with that dive deep into escaping? What good there is when a person gets disappointed in everything and creates himself a world of delusions to stay there for the rest of his life? The answer to the question: how to find a true self is hidden in our last character — Wolf.
Knight meets Wolf when he travels through a misty forest by the end of his journey. Among the rest of those who are connected with Castle, Knight remains the only one left without robes of fur and teeth. We did it on purpose to create a contrast between the main character and Castle servants. This shows that Knight has been left with something that all the rest of them already sacrificed.
If I dare to describe what Wolf symbolizes, then it will never match with the expectation of a reader and a viewer. This is one of those aspects in our work that everyone should interpret on their own. You will not get an answer to this question because Knight & Wolf is not a propaganda but rather a key to the door that you should open yourself. Although I can give a tiny little hint.
Earlier in our video presentation of the exhibition Journey to a Dream, I talked about dream being pointless without love. That a person needs love from a mother and a father, from friends and most importantly from himself. So maybe the best dream is the dream that will lead a person to love.
Yes, our parents will not live forever and our friends might abandon us just like we can abandon them. Even our children will leave us one day. But someone inside of us always awaits love.
This is love that can be forgotten but will never cease to exist.
It all started with realization that each of us have been and still remain Knight, Pathfinder, Guide and Master. Each man can find himself in one of this stances. This is quite easy to prove if we look at my example. To create this project I had to sacrifice many things. Now I manage this symbol as Master, draw attention to it as Guide and defend it as Pathfinder. At the same time, I do not cease to be Knight because this is my weapon that I use to carve out the way forward.
My father and I realized that people's desires and feelings need to be embodied in symbols. But a symbol is impossible without sacrifice. It seems that all human activity is focused on making a sacrifice and then reflecting on what has been done. It is paradoxical that people reproduce this algorithm from generation to generation, but my main conclusion is different.
I realized that there is no one symbol which would unite everyone and explain everything. Those times remained in the past. In the future we will have symbols that any individual can create for himself. Just like my father and I did. Apparently, only in this way can a thinking person find himself, his role in the world of people.
But what does it mean: to find your true self? To form a certain perception of things and together with that dive deep into escaping? What good there is when a person gets disappointed in everything and creates himself a world of delusions to stay there for the rest of his life? The answer to the question: how to find a true self is hidden in our last character — Wolf.
Knight meets Wolf when he travels through a misty forest by the end of his journey. Among the rest of those who are connected with Castle, Knight remains the only one left without robes of fur and teeth. We did it on purpose to create a contrast between the main character and Castle servants. This shows that Knight has been left with something that all the rest of them already sacrificed.
If I dare to describe what Wolf symbolizes, then it will never match with the expectation of a reader and a viewer. This is one of those aspects in our work that everyone should interpret on their own. You will not get an answer to this question because Knight & Wolf is not a propaganda but rather a key to the door that you should open yourself. Although I can give a tiny little hint.
Earlier in our video presentation of the exhibition Journey to a Dream, I talked about dream being pointless without love. That a person needs love from a mother and a father, from friends and most importantly from himself. So maybe the best dream is the dream that will lead a person to love.
Yes, our parents will not live forever and our friends might abandon us just like we can abandon them. Even our children will leave us one day. But someone inside of us always awaits love.
This is love that can be forgotten but will never cease to exist.
