My works explore the correlations between the present moment and memories of the past. There is a place for humor in that, for mystery and love for other people. I am curious whether life is indeed the way it is given us in the perception of our senses, or it is all just a dream. I try to keep my art visually accessible by using bright hues and simple forms. Every now and then I introduce some new characters to access my research topics from fresh, unexpected angles.
Oil grants my paintings flexibility and allows me to depict objects with exactly the level of detail I need. For wooden sculptures, on the contrary, I rely on my trusted chainsaw in order to juxtapose that roughness to the elegance of canvas. This is my strategy to achieve simultaneously a sense of tension and balance. I tend to work in series, developing certain topics or themes that reach me in the process of daily meditation.My artistic practice is centered around the interaction of past and present in human perception. My painting "Time is running out" is a reflection upon a phenomena of permanence in how I perceive my dog, with whom I have spent 18 years.
"Je m’appelle Adam" is a sculpture that brings the story of Adam and Eve to the modern world. Here I think about the never ending human attempts to escape from routine and problems elsewhere, to some paradise. I am concerned about why it is so hard to understand where do we come from, what is our place in the present, and where are we willing to head to.
"Grünenmann" is a more personal drawing where I mix the birch motif (a popular national symbol in Russia, where I was born) with memories of my grandfather, his fairytales and old-fashioned hat.
Sometimes my heroes can look thoughtful or sad, but I aim for lightness and am not afraid of having some fun. I wish to fill the past with natural light, so that I can remind the viewer how little it actually takes to feel happy and how mysterious everyday life can be.
