International Artists Promotion Group

In the Summer’13 Art Show of the “Russian Art & Paris” journal, we present to our readers four very interesting contemporary artists of different styles and genres. They include – a young and very talented artist Alla Polkovnichenko from Moscow, just beginning her career as a professional painter. As well as three well-known masters in the world of fine art – St. Petersburg artist Viktor Egorov, painter Alexander Shevelev from Rybinsk and painter Guennadi Ulibin from Seville. An uncommonly wide range of creative techniques and artistic decisions, and the bright originality of each of these artists will attract the attention of all who follow the development of modern art.

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ARTIST VIKTOR EGOROV, (SAINT PETERSBURG)

In the endless discussion about the fate of landscape painting, there constantly sounds, like a refrain, the philosophical and aesthetic justification of the existence of this genre, its right to an independent life. What exactly causes such a cautious attitude towards it? Could it only be the relatively short history, compared to other genres, or is it something else? Perhaps the complexity of the creation as well as the interpretation of the artistic idea, the fuzziness and uncertainty of the very concept – “an artistic idea of the landscape,” are the primary basis for these doubts. Let’s try to approach this issue from the position of the artist. Why does the artist turn to this genre? Which aspects of the potential of the landscape genre seem more significant to him in comparison with other genres? The artwork of one of the modern masters of landscape art, Saint Petersburg artist Viktor Egorov is quite an appropriate occasion for such a conversation.
•  The meaning of landscape as an artistic composition is mainly associated with the organization of space. The compositionally motivated plot, the spatial rhythm, perspective, all of these are basic landscape components focused on solving a single task – creating the spatial structure of the image. The emotional order, the “melody” of the work itself is created (or not created) during the stage of solving compositional (structural) problems. In the paintings of Victor Egorov the tradition of the classical landscape with a construction of space to a considerable depth are masterfully implemented in a series of urban winter scenes – “Tsarskoye Selo”, “Kryukov Canal,” “St. Nicholas Cathedral.” With the classical tradition of this artist’s work, there is a link to a high degree of generalizing a theme (“Winter Garden,” “Autumn in the Park”). The complex rhythm of trees – in depth and horizontally, in conjunction with the restrained coloring, create a graphically expressive image-sign. Thus, the landscape begins to take on portrait characteristics – portrait of autumn, portrait of winter. This portrait features are extremely significant. Landscape –  is an aesthetic notion. Landscape – is a natural or urban terrain seen through the eyes of man. This means that the landscape only exists as an image, a generalized image of the world around us. In his most significant artworks, Victor Egorov successfully creates a landscape image-portrait.
• Very interesting are the works of the artist associated with horizontally expanded compositions of the landscape (“Birch”, “View of the Palace of Peter III”). The calm, clear, rhythmic structure of the composition creates a metaphor for a quiet state of motive – the structured construction creates a melody. Similarly, the horizontal rhythm, but more complex and rich, is wonderfully designed in a classically beautiful scenery – “Chinese Palace” (the second part of the triptych “Oranienbaum”). The distinct pulling of Victor Egorov towards large art form, symbolization of the plot (unlike the intimate lyrical narrative); these are the distinctive features of this master’s work. At the same time, these features are in conflict (in some artworks) to the over-naturalization of the object’s image, creating a stylistic dissonance. The phenomenon in general, is very characteristic of contemporary fine art.
•  The development of the artist within his work is always a mystery. A mystery, for him as well. Of particular interest is the fact that the development of this intrigue happens in front of the audience – the passive, but influential members of any artistic process. The artwork of Victor Egorov is far from its peak. How and in what direction will this development take place remains to be seen, but what has already been created is a clear indication of the arrival of an interesting and extraordinary master. ©

by Russian Art & Paris

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Picture in the text: “Svyatogorsky monastery”  Oil on canvas. (65 x 70 cm)

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“Winter garden”  Oil on Canvas. (55 x 60 cm)

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“Autumn in the Park”   Oil on Canvas. (50 x 60 cm)

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“Tsarskoye Selo”  Oil on Canvas. (50 x 65 cm)

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ARTIST ALLA POLKOVNICHENKO, (MOSCOW)

“Understanding the real world – is the process of creating its models” (A.Kerzhenova). The artistic reality of the painter Alla Polkovnichenko is a vector model that sends the viewer not in the direction of empirical reality, but in the exact opposite direction. In the direction away from the “objective” world and towards the subjective interpretation of it, where as a result of the creative search, there arises a strange and unusual creation – a symbol-sign. The visual code, which is information-sensitive, allows us to justify that before us is fine art, and that art is authentic.
•  The open world of the artist Alla Polkovnichenko is huge and simple. The movement of clouds in the sky (“Cloud Coming”) and the movement of the human soul (“After the Rain”) in this world are equivalent and meaningful. The philosophy of this space is intertwined with the philosophy of human destiny, visibly or invisibly present in every composition (“Big City”, “Elets”, “The Banks of the Don”). The vivid metaphor (“Water Tower”) and the detailed narrative in the style of an urban romance (“Olga”, “Pedestrian Zone”) do not contradict each other, but are merely blocks from which the viewer can build any picture of the world by his own directive. The one which he likes…  A few features fit naturally into this picture of the world: the “Night”, naive but made a with double supply of irony, and an earnest attempt to understand what is in this world (“Self-Portrait with a plaster head”). A rare in contemporary art, sensual direct view of the world, reveals the identity of the person and the environment, enlightened by his presence (“Resurrection”, “Self-Portrait with a Curved Mirror”), where the depth of space disappears because space, as the distance is just our illusion. The suppleness of the plot, the incoherence of its own artistic monologue by a story (“Rural Love”, “Natasha reading”) are a natural consequence of inherent talent and the learned ability to see. To see that what exists.
• The aesthetics of Alla Polkovnichenko contains a minimal number of basic components. The exquisitely complex structure of the coloristic composition in combination with the carefully developed tonal-rhythmic order create the main “melody” of the work. Artwork detailing – both compositional and picturesque – is almost nonexistent. It is essential to note the absence of explicit tone-color accents – evidence of the professional and aesthetic maturity of the artist. The division of the composition into planes, which come in the form of mixed space – are probably the most interesting compositional technique in the arsenal of Alla Polkovnichenko. A technique, which the artist wields perfectly and with a sense of measure. As for the static compositional solutions, in the vast majority of cases, it looks more like a step in the development than a sensible creative choice.
• The talent of an artist – is always potential. To speculate how this potential will be realized is useless. We will see everything that will take place. But from what is seen in the work of artist Alla Polkovnichenko even now, there is a very characteristic distinguishing feature of great talent – conviction. “Once and for all exactly right and just as it is.” ©

by Russian Art & Paris

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Picture in the text: “Lena Palenko”  Oil on canvas. (75 x 100 cm)

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“After the rain”  Oil on canvas. (75 x 55 cm)

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“Cloud coming”  Oil on canvas. (135 x 150 cm)

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“Olga”  Oil on Canvas. (165 x 104 cm)

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ARTIST ALEXANDER SHEVELEV, (RYBINSK)

Beauty is inherently subjective. Within this subjective space, the dramatic world of fine art is unfolded. The artist exists in this world all the time, not being able to venture beyond it, but being able to push the boundaries of this world – his own art creative space. Defining the creative space of artist Alexander Shevelev is not difficult – his creative declaration, distinct and clear, consists of dozens of excellent artworks, with no puzzles remaining after looking upon them. That which is loved by the artist, that which caught his attention, is all in front of us; it is enough to just see these artworks. Nevertheless, during careful contemplation of paintings by Alexander Shevelev, questions arise that are quite interesting and deserving of us to dwell on them in detail.
•  Plein air sketch – the main and most reliable tool for the landscape painter. The bewitching charm of a successful full-scale plein air sketch is familiar to every lover of painting. Studio (easel) artwork – the picture – is not just another artistic form. Studio picture requires a quite different kind of visual language. Work at the junction of the two forms – plein air sketch and studio painting, a synthesis of categories that are inconsistent at first glance – are the main fields of the creative search of artist Alexander Shevelev.
•  When analyzing features of the artwork by this particular artist, and defining characteristics of his pictorial techniques, we should first of all mention his work with foreshortening. Panoramic perspective, well-known in the visual arts – is a rare guest in the compositional arsenal of the modern artist. The epic sounding of such compositions, their vulgar pathos, is discouraging. The works of Alexander Shevelev: “Spring in Rostov” and “Solovki. Rigging warehouse”- a rare and exceptionally good examples of panoramas with an intimate lyrical melody. The combination of plein air style and panoramic form creates a new artistic quality of painting. An even more interesting angle, so to speak, a “telephoto-style view” – is a look from long range with a significant coverage of image in the vertical dimension: “Autumn in Borisolebsk” and “March in the village of Sherohovichy”. The unexpected foreshortening is a surprise, a strange glance at the world that logically motivates an unexpected detailing of the image in these artworks.
•  The coloristic origins of painting of Alexander Shevelev are naturally linked with the plein air sketch, which the artist wields freely and masterfully. The tense, sometimes reinforced colors are the trademark coloristic handwriting of the artist. The concentration of color itself does not always lead to the concentration of the meaning. The essence of beauty in its coloristic value mostly manifests itself through harmony. Plein air works of the artist of recent time (“Sledge”, “The Yard”, “March Snow”), in this regard are practically flawless and by their artistic merit do not give way to the studio paintings of this master.
•  Foreshortening, composition, color – are categories of form, which in turn is the bearer of the artist’s individual aesthetics. The value of this aesthetic is subjectively determined by the viewer and can change over time, sometimes significantly. The subjective character of beauty and the subjectivity of viewers’ estimates are of the same nature. However, the artwork of Alexander Shevelev exists objectively – the process of creating and developing his own art form, of his own artistic language. A language that is unusual, vivid and memorable. ©

by Russian Art & Paris

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Picture in the text: “March in the village of Sherohovichy”   Oil on canvas. (50 x 60 cm)

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“Autumn in Borisoglebsk”  Oil on Canvas. (80 x 98 cm)

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“Spring in Rostov”  Oil on Canvas. (41 x 85 cm)

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“Spring”  Oil on Canvas. (75 x 100 cm)

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ARTIST GUENNADI ULIBIN, (SEVILLE)

In the history of artistic movement known as mystical realism there are few names and creative events (the term “mystical realism” was introduced by the German art critic Franz Rauh to describe the picture, which shows a changed reality). Work within the boundaries of this area brings quite unconventional requirements to the author: a high level of artistic skill – to create such a composition, and a no less high intellectual level so that the creation become a work of art. Such combination of these qualities in art is rather rare. Modern audiences raised on the centuries-old tradition of perceiving the artist as a bohemian and refer to the phrase “artist-intellectual” with a natural suspicion. Such is the tradition, or, if you will, that is the reality, and few dare to challenge reality. Artist Guennadi Ulibin is one of the few.
•  “The rate at which time passes for an object depends on its velocity relative to the observer, as well as the strength of the gravitational field, which can slow the passage of time.” The very appearance of such a quote in an essay on the work of the painter can result, at the very least, with eyebrows raised in surprise. Meanwhile, particularly this quote most fully reveals the central theme of the work of Guennadi Ulibin, the subject of space and time. The attractive force – gravity, in the plots of Guennadi Ulibin is irrationally huge. Objects are literally pressed into the surface of the planet. As a consequence – the passage of time has almost stopped. Can anything even happen in a space with fixed time? Perhaps yes, and even something quite interesting. First of all, things in their ontological value return to their original meanings – the stones are just stones, the tide is a tide, the sunset is a sunset. But the most amazing transformation happens with man. Freed from their social camouflage, man – an object that is familiar to us all, is recognized with difficulty. Is it really true that we, people – are like this? Let’s not rush to answer.
•  The space in the paintings of Guennadi Ulibin is one of the main components of the artistic image. A distinctive feature, quite unusual for a work of art, is the depth of this space. In the paintings “Earth”, “Space”, and “Ocean”, the scale is almost philosophical, to the very boundary of the knowable. The stillness of the characters is deceptive – every pose is distinctly accented by a gesture (the turning of a head is also a gesture). In this regard, it is interesting to recall a thesis by Pavel Florensky – “the gesture defines a space therein causing tension and thereby distorting it.” The distortion means the subordination of space, its individualization. This is yet another feature of the works: the complete and absolute proportionality of the size of the space to the size of man. This proportionality is not accidental, the humanitarian environment of man – the whole planet, is one and indivisible. The man and the planet are identical. This identity is affirmed by each composition of Guennadi Ulibin.
•  The external monumental visual style of Guennadi Ulibin should not be misleading – the key of his works is the human dimension and the human element. Both the spacial and the metaphorical compositions are interpreted by the artist within the human destiny. The semantic content of human images partly resonates with the fundamental idea of Nietzsche’s “eternal return”.  “- Oh, the man always returns!” spoke Zarathustra, but the man does not always returns the same, as he was before. Is it possible that from the depths of the images of artist Guennadi Ulibin the man looking at us is an unknown “new” person, or at least a sketch to his portrait? Why exactly is it impossible? ©

by Russian Art & Paris

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Picture in the text: “Dream”   Oil on canvas. (89 x 196 cm)

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“Unmanned space”  Oil on Canvas. (81 x 162 cm)

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“Ocean”  Oil on Canvas. (195 x 100 cm)

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“Water”  Oil on Canvas. (89 x 195 cm)

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