'Agatha' 2017, Mirror-polished Stainless Steel, 230 x 230 x 500 cm

In 2017, the sculpture 'Agatha' was created from polished stainless steel, dedicated to the sculptor’s daughter, and shaped like a traditional Russian roly-poly doll—an iconic toy for anyone who grew up in the USSR. The roly-poly, symbolizing childhood and human resilience, features a unique design: its spherical body hides a weight, enabling the doll to always return to an upright position, no matter how hard one tries to topple it. The roly-poly is one of the icons of Soviet design, but the toy, long associated with the USSR, actually originated in the East. The first roly-poly in Russia appeared around 200 years ago, likely inspired by the Japanese daruma doll. The daruma represents the monk Bodhidharma, who meditated for nine years to the point that his limbs atrophied. For such devotion, he became revered in Japan, and over time, the daruma became a symbol of good luck and the fulfillment of New Year’s wishes. "In Orekhov’s sculpture, the dynamics of reflection and absorption are at play—whether actual or implied (the toy’s return movement). The roly-poly absorbs the external world, which is emphasized by the geometry of its surfaces—from bulges to funnels. But, with any movement, the moment of reflection occurs, repelling the external; the surroundings are refracted and slide off the polished surface, emphasizing the form’s independence—resilient and capable of defending itself." — A.D. Borovsky. Thus, the 'Agatha' sculpture carries a multitude of meanings, from the sculptor’s personal story honoring his daughter to deep cultural and historical associations.