Russian Contemporary Art. Fabulous Paintings with Byzantine Roots

Where would civilization be without the four seasons?

They provide us with hope expectations and a sense of drama; they also engender a constant sense of movement in our predictable lives--and something we can always talk about

And where would Western civilization be without the combination of passion, visual stimulation and constant experimentation brought to us exclusively through Russian art works?

For centuries, Russian artists have kept pushing hard against local traditions or material limitations; boring juxtapositions and official disapproval; color and movement.

All for us: for their appreciative, often giddily amazed followers Art lovers everywhere in search of a challenging icon to chew on an idea to mull over can always satisfy their craving for movement and variety and something different to talk about!

For art lovers and collectors who may have lost track of the uniquely delicate yet intellectually muscular character of Russian art, this introduction to contemporary Russian art trends and history is just what the weatherman ordered!

It’s time to begin your personal journey toward being an icon.

“Russian Contemporary Art” is a fabulous book for anyone interested in the fascinating and fulfilling world of Russian contemporary art. As a comprehensive and detailed overview of this amazing subject, it will become a great addition to any cultured person’s bookshelf. Its thought-provoking introductions will turn the reader into an aficionado of the signature works of some of Russia’s most notable artists, at the height of their creative output. You’ll soon be packing your bags to visit St. Petersburg, Novgorod the Great and Moscow in hopes of catching a glimpse of the vibrant and sometimes culturally exotic spirit of Russian culture. 

 - Willie Lewis Brown, Jr. Former Speaker of California Assembly and Mayor of San Francisco

Yuri Tsapayev is a writer, composer and filmmaker. He has work appearing or forthcoming in over a dozen venues, including Arguments and Facts (Novgorod edition), New Life, Artodox Publishing, Art Fog Media and Paralux Productions. When he’s not amusing strangers with his writing, Yuri is most likely frightening friends with his new film ideas. Yuri Tsapayev was born in Simferopol, Crimea Republic. He studied music at the Simferopol School of Music and graduated from the State University of St. Petersburg (Russia) with MS in mathematics. During Russia's famous Perestroika period, he established fine art galleries in Novgorod, Tver and Moscow. In the late 1990s, Yuri published a newspaper Artodox Art Review, dedicated to arts and culture. With his friends in Tver, he founded a movie production company Beliy Svet, which is now a successful film studio.  Yuri moved to San Francisco in 2001 to pursue a career as an art dealer. He traveled extensively throughout the United States exhibiting his collection of contemporary Russian art. Despite his focus on art, Yuri did not forget his musical roots: during this same time, he composed and recorded three albums under the name Indie Knight. In 2008, while attending the Hollywood Film Institute, he made an impressive transition to filmmaking with the sensitive and critically acclaimed short film Tick Knock, officially selected for the Barcelona and Chicago short film festivals in 2009.  Driven by a passion for filmmaking, Yuri quickly honed his skills and earned a reputation for his stylish visuals that complemented complex storylines. Early in 2009, he put it all on the line to make a feature film Contractor's Routine (Buffalo Niagara Film Festival official selection, 2010).  Yuri Tsapayev is currently working as a director and producer on his next dramas at Paralux Productions and as editor-in-chief at Art Fog Media.  

A BRIEF HISTORY OF CONTAGIOUS IMAGINATION

Russian Contemporary Art

San Francisco, California: This sumptuous review of 20th Century Russian art will transport you from a candle-lit sacristy, through a sunlit artist garrett, and forward into floodlit auction galleries.

Faith, culture and hope: Russian Contemporary Art is a lavishly illustrated overview of a subject that deserves much wider attention. Noted art scholar and filmmaker Yuri Tsapayev demonstrates that icons did more than decorate churches, honor saints and remind worshipers of religious ideals.

They also set the stage for an entirely new form of worship, which still resonates in the internet age.

Icons’ unique fusion of folk art and often severe, stiff Byzantine motifs have withstood the test of time. And taken on different forms.

In the 21st century they would be called “memes.”

Memes and icons are single graphic messages used by a culture or medium to communicate information or values between individuals and groups.

In Wikipedia’s description of a meme there's a real overlap with icons: “A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols, or practices, that can be transmitted from one mind to another.”

The relentless power of imagery: icons, artwork and memes

So who has carried the icon into  the modern age?

Three generations of 20th Century St. Petersburg, Novgorod and Moscow artists, many represented in this book. 

Their paintings incorporate color, texture, mood or composition in  a deceptively simple internal narrative about beliefs, relationships and dreams. Their works bridge the gap between millennia without losing the vision and power.                          

Most of the artists here faced a barrage of official and bureaucratic challenges. Yet they've managed to create works of daring narrative and visual potency, in a number of distinctive media and styles.

Each work in RUSSIAN CONTEMPORARY ART: FABULOUS PAINTINGS WITH BYZANTINE ROOTS is complex, diverse, colorful, rewarding and thought-provoking.

Like the best icons and memes.

Imagine that!

(And by the way, Tsapayev’s detailed chapter on art investment’s potential and pitfalls makes his book a good purchase for you too).