Dmitry Smolev. The Moon or sixpence?

Dmitry Smolev

The Moon or sixpence?

1998

Published in Russian: Газета «Новые Известия», 29.12.1998 г.

JERUSALEM. WESTERN WALL

70x100 oil, canvas

1998

Attention!

The following text was translated from the Russian original by the computer program

and has not yet been edited.

So it can be used only for general introduction.

Sergei ZAGRAEVSKY, Ph.D., and even an entrepreneur, has recently been taking something for the businessman not typical. Day and night, oil painting on canvas, suits from all of this solo exhibition (now in the CHA - the third time in four months), publishes postcards and brochures with samples of its "izoproduktsii. At the same time would drop to all sorts of officials from the art with the question: "What's all this about the artists involved?", Referring to accept participation. Now, however, is not rife - disappointed. Bureaucrats cut off from the masses, do not feel the breath of life. I decided to create their own creative union. In short, after 17 August ZAGRAEVSKY with commerce "tied", preferring pink childhood dream - to be an artist.

It seems that not only Platonov and Nevtonov, but Gauguin's own can give birth to our land. Prior to global recognition while far away, but Sergei - a man able and energetic. Moreover, before his French counterpart, there is a certain handicap: Paul Gauguin in this age, not on what Tahiti is not intended as any exotic ZAGRAEVSKY've seen plenty.

So, having met them at the exhibition represented an alpine landscape or Jerusalem to the "Wailing Wall", do not take them for the fruits of imagination. More precisely, it is still the fruit of the imagination, but the heated natural impression. No less fantastic than the eruption of the African volcano looks at ZAGRAEVSKY, say, the Crimean bridge over Moskva river. Pedants do not need to look for comparisons in the dusty window in the neighborhood - still does not. Or even "The last trolley, also from the city life in its outer form. It turns out that nighttime Moscow - a city on the edge of the Earth, where just outside the village overlooking the galaxy with unblinking white stars. Here the blue trolley bus with an orange-yellow lights wheels on black asphalt in purple future. If it is we, of course, purple.

However, the art of Sergei ZAGRAEVSKY no colored dark romanticism. It is colored by his family in rainbow colors, that would be, and why not depicted. The palette of the artist's newfound bright, but without much nuance. More and more attracted to the color of factory production. Why, indeed, to ruin a good paint mixing with the magic name - "volkonskoit" or "thioindigo"? Themes of these paintings excite at the same time wafting suspicions - what would? Adult after people, and draws a snowman and Christmas trees. And not to wave at the pre-holiday rush to drive someone with the words: "Only for you, crazy discounts!" On the contrary, in these days ZAGRAEVSKY glows selflessness and fraught with surprises. Not Santa Claus, of course, pictures do not give away their recklessly, but to praise them when it still scared ...

You'll see, Sergei ZAGRAEVSKY will ever recognized painter. Or unrecognized, that in his own way cute. Or someone, even if again entrepreneur. There is nothing wrong to be an entrepreneur. But the artist - better.