 | | Ira Vasilieva’s solo show is a rare treat both for the world public and Borey gallery. The army of her fans doesn’t need any comments on this exhibition, and for the novices we can quote Nikolay Blagodatov’s text, which he wrote four years ago:
"Irina Vasilieva’s linocuts are characterized by their natural graphical thought. They depict certain tragicomic “episodes” and also contain verbal explanations of a literary value, which makes them close to popular print. In fact the cycle of works develops into an intimate diary. It’s a loud response to contact with everyday life, putting it to the level of being; a way to get rid of a feeling by expressing it. These silent screams, spiced by black humor, are dressed in artistically created modern forms with a thoughtful view on the whole. Sometimes the worksheet seems to be a beautiful arabesque with a sharp “rock” rhythm.
Of course, beside the genius, the author has “graphical” education, but the same features come out in painting, where chaos of spontaneous gestures finally ties into a deliberately crafted color accord. If graphics is “episodes”, then painting is an event-free sphere with its own rich inner life. Generally it’s landscape painting, going back to painting realism of the 30-s, that had developed in Petersburg underground since post-blockade time up to “Mitki”. The motive is not sought by the author, but is provided by fate, that’s why each work looks like an event, though there’s no motion in it, even people cannot be seen.
After she quickly formed as an artist, Irina Vasilieva during 15 years of her work in art established herself both in the style, developed by her with much pain, and in that part of Petersburg art, which inherited traditions of Leningrad underground. But the style of such a responsive person cannot avoid being responsive either. Its evolution led to a greater contentment in painting and a livelier formal search in graphics.
That would be interesting to see at I.Vasi’s retrospective show. By the way, this funny self-mocking pseudonym, which is quite justified “ad litteram”, reflects the complex personality of the artist in a much wider sense than might seem at first sight.”
Nikolay Blagodatov
January 30, 2005 St Petersburg |
