Kostya Benkovich
FIGHT THE POWER
28 May — 22 June, London
Arc Space, 13 Tottenham Mews, London W1T 4AQ
The first London solo exhibition of one of the most compelling contemporary artists.
The central theme of the exposition is the "20/21 Club" phenomenon, dedicated to young hip-hop stars (Juice WRLD, Pop Smoke, XXXTentacion, Lil Peep, and Jimmy Wopo) whose lives were cut short at the height of their fame. Benkovich captures a profound paradox: while digital platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and SoundCloud allowed these artists to reach billions of views and global recognition almost instantly, this same digital environment acted as a catalyst for their rapid demise.
The artist highlights the inextricable link between social media and the consumer industry. As rappers become living showcases for luxury fashion brands, they broadcast a lifestyle that often becomes an unbearable burden, leading to fatal real-world consequences. Benkovich’s signature use of steel rebar emphasizes the harsh price of an image, revealing the fragility of human life hidden behind a glossy facade.
Created using steel, rebar, and welding techniques, his works explore themes of resistance to control, social pressure, and the pervasive influence of social media.
FIGHT THE POWER
28 May — 22 June, London
Arc Space, 13 Tottenham Mews, London W1T 4AQ
The first London solo exhibition of one of the most compelling contemporary artists.
The central theme of the exposition is the "20/21 Club" phenomenon, dedicated to young hip-hop stars (Juice WRLD, Pop Smoke, XXXTentacion, Lil Peep, and Jimmy Wopo) whose lives were cut short at the height of their fame. Benkovich captures a profound paradox: while digital platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and SoundCloud allowed these artists to reach billions of views and global recognition almost instantly, this same digital environment acted as a catalyst for their rapid demise.
The artist highlights the inextricable link between social media and the consumer industry. As rappers become living showcases for luxury fashion brands, they broadcast a lifestyle that often becomes an unbearable burden, leading to fatal real-world consequences. Benkovich’s signature use of steel rebar emphasizes the harsh price of an image, revealing the fragility of human life hidden behind a glossy facade.
Created using steel, rebar, and welding techniques, his works explore themes of resistance to control, social pressure, and the pervasive influence of social media.
The exhibition centres around the 20/21 Club series: monumental works dedicated to a generation of young rap artists who died at the height of fame. Among them are Juice WRLD, XXXTentacion, Lil Peep, Pop Smoke, and Jimmy Wopo. Through these figures, Benkovich reflects on celebrity culture, addiction, digital mythology, violence, and the self-destructive pressures of visibility in the social media era.
Rather than offering direct political slogans, Fight the Power explores the psychological architecture of contemporary power — the mechanisms through which fear, spectacle, media narratives, and public pressure shape modern identity. Pop-cultural imagery becomes both a weapon and a warning: familiar symbols are stripped of their original context and reassembled into unsettling new forms.
Rather than offering direct political slogans, Fight the Power explores the psychological architecture of contemporary power — the mechanisms through which fear, spectacle, media narratives, and public pressure shape modern identity. Pop-cultural imagery becomes both a weapon and a warning: familiar symbols are stripped of their original context and reassembled into unsettling new forms.
'My steel sculptures are a special lens through which I look at the world. Steel rebar is a visible and tangible absence of freedom. Through these works, I seek to redirect the viewer’s focus towards social and political injustice, the imbalance of power, and the possibility of resistance.’
Benkovich’s works have been exhibited internationally, including at the Saatchi Gallery, the State Russian Museum, and the Multimedia Art Museum. In 2021, The Art Newspaper named him among the defining artists of his generation.
His installation The Suitcase, dedicated to refugees and displacement, was supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and later entered Edinburgh’s public art collection — reflecting the artist’s ongoing engagement with themes of vulnerability, exile, and human resilience.
Balancing monumentality with emotional fragility, Benkovich’s work exists at the intersection of protest and poetry. Fight the Power marks a rare opportunity to encounter one of the most uncompromising contemporary artistic voices working today.
The exhibition is organised in collaboration with Arc Space, Bird & Carrot Productions, and Developing Artists.
His installation The Suitcase, dedicated to refugees and displacement, was supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and later entered Edinburgh’s public art collection — reflecting the artist’s ongoing engagement with themes of vulnerability, exile, and human resilience.
Balancing monumentality with emotional fragility, Benkovich’s work exists at the intersection of protest and poetry. Fight the Power marks a rare opportunity to encounter one of the most uncompromising contemporary artistic voices working today.
The exhibition is organised in collaboration with Arc Space, Bird & Carrot Productions, and Developing Artists.
