Europe’s gravity

Exhibition of Volodymyr Isupov that takes place at the gallery “Maisternia” is titled “Variations on One Theme” (theme – Kidnapping Europe). For centuries artists were attracted by the myth where Zeus fell in love with a beautiful princess Europe, turned into a bull, kidnapped his beloved young lady and took her to the island of Crete, where Europe became his wife. Isupov, classic artist working in romantic genre, created 25 graphic variations, offering a fresh look at the timeless story that branches out under the master’s brush like an ancient olive tree. The exhibition takes the visitors on a journey to places of incredible beauty. The mysterious couple halts on a green meadow and on the beach, watching the stars, comets, and clouds, rising up on their own like the clouds. And suddenly you come across a painting with Slavic faces on it – these are our contemporaries! Cheeks of the beautiful Europe are rosy like apples and the green-eyed bull is in doubt: should I kidnap the beautiful girl or should I dwell on it more…

Volodymyr Isupov was born and grew up in Altai, later he studied at the Painting Department of an art school in Odesa. Then he graduated from the Kyiv Art Institute, successfully worked in the field of monumental and decorative art. When he got engaged in graphic art, he made himself known as a master of European school. Isupov created a series of works in his original technique – watercolor on paper, treated in a special way. Texture of “crumpled paper” adds subtle nuances in the game of color, freely played by the artist: the sea sparkles with patches of sunlight, and the air space brings joy of the cosmic anticipation. Isupov’s creative style is defined by bold and expressive manner of drawing and boldness of compositional solutions: a sheet of paper divided into two parts horizontally or vertically produces a magical effect of a window as a shaky line between reality and illusion. And, most importantly, each painting invites for a dialogue about the real value of art and life that can be found in the world of the philosopher and artist Isupov.