Yuri Alexandrovich Medvedev
Was born in Ufa on January 6, 1939
1956 - 62 studies architecture at Novosibirsk State Architectural Construction University (“SIBSTRIN”)
(since 1960 studies painting in Nikolay Gritsouk’s workshop)
1962 - 67 works as an architect in Frunze, Kirgizia,
travels in Central Asia, goes in for mountain tourism, makes sketches
Since 1965 is a member of USSR Architects Union
Since 1967 has lived in Leningrad (St Petersburg)
Works for Lenproject (studio of I.I.Fomin, academician)
1970 - first solo show at Lenproject.
Meets A.Arefiev, O.Grigoriev, M.Shemyakin,
G.Egoshin and other artists
1975 – participant of a show at the Nevsky Palace of Culture
1976 - 80 participant of apartment shows
1980 - 85 participant of shows at the Molodyozhny Palace of Culture,
member of the Society for Experimental Visual Art (TEII), “Free Culture” (Pushkinskaya, 10)
Since 1985 has participated in international shows in France, Germany, USA "… Beside the secret of enchanting coloring, St Petersburg artist Yuri Medvedev has another undeniable talent, which is his ability to create masterly compositions. For that he needs material, lots of objects and personages, that’s why his works are full of “characters” and “props”.
It strikes the eye, that expressiveness of the “nature morte” of his flower-pieces (by the way, Medvedev, like many people now, doesn’t like the French name of this genre and prefers the Dutch word "stilleben") equals that of animated nature, i.e. of a modern human. Both here and there we have a wide range of the author’s feelings and reflections…"
Nikolay Blagodatov Yuri Alexandrovich Medvedev is a painter, whose artistic credo, preferences in painting, and, moreover, way of life in the art were formed in the 60-s, alongside and together with other artists and poets of the Arefiev circle: A.Arefiev, V.Nekrasov, O.Grigoriev and others. An architect by education (specializing in industrial architecture), starting from 1960-s he also practises painting, by means of which he expresses his vision of the world. At first sight it may seem that his paintings and graphics are an exact opposite to the architecture which he projects in the constructivist style of the 60-s: precisely and rigidly drawn rectangular volumes, formulated in the language of neobrutalism, that was fashionable at that time. Indeed, there are almost no architectural forms as such in the pictures, man and nature dominate, but they are drawn distinctly and concisely and exist in a dense environment of tectonic coordinates with intense composition. Big volumes, prominent textured forms, painted in rather bright colors let the artist speak generally and actively use the language of metaphors, plastic symbols. Thus, he makes even the most lyrical, prosy themes sound not sentimental, but forced and vigorous, almost monumental, which partially conforms to romantic, existentially-dramatic pathos of the 60-s.
Y.Medvedev considers N.Gritsouk to be his teacher, a famous Novosibirsk master, whose painting was on the European level and helped Medvedev to learn lessons of the most prominent artists of the 20th century. Thanks to Gritsouk, he managed to revise, make closer, turn into an integral whole blending in his own individuality the richest artistic experience (of Picasso, Chagall, Dufy, Beckmann, Moore and others), that was practically unavailable in Russia. Besides, when he lived in Novosibirsk, there were several shows of P.Filonov, El Lissitzky, and M.Shemyakin in Novosibirsk Academgorodok. All that predetermined his further career as an artist: starting from 1970-s he became an active participant of Leningrad non-official painters’ exhibitions (including the legendary show at the Nevsky Palace of Culture in 1975).
Apart from carnival, sometimes even grotesque circus images, there are constantly present trivial, “kitchen-sink” themes in his works in their own a little bit forced way (but not nervous, expressive like in Arefiev’s works, rather fairytale-like and mocking), also reflecting everyday street and communal life of a Soviet person. Main series of the artist’s works are being developed until now, namely "Prose of Everyday Life" ("Realities of Being"), "Central Asia", "Street Crossing", "At Table", "Don Quixote".
This exhibition includes pictures, showing his creative work in the 21st century. An artist with a bunch of brushes in the hand performs some mysterious actions, kind of a ritual. “I put art above religion”, the painter says, and these words perfectly explain not only a joyful, full of inner tension and stern expression painting, but his artistic credo as a whole.
Gleb Ershov |
