The enchanted “Summer”

The “Summer” project, according to the artist, is a diary of events, which did not happen. But the imagery is very clear. The art depicts random fragments of life – a dog looking for someone, a stork standing still before a large bundle of fish – Rustam Mirzoev paints carefully, with respect to the fine details. However, in the essence his art is calm, not checkered.

The exhibition consists of 13 paintings. Each of them contains some mystery, a charade, which a viewer should solve on their own, according to their own experience. Mirzoev’s scenes are specific, but they come with many associations. For example: does The Umbrella picture present a bright piece of an umbrella or a shark fin? Another example is The Beach, where people’s figures in the sea resemble sea birds flying by a large gull. Generally, the birds are the favorite characters of Rustam Mirzoev. Storks, ducks, pigeons in his art are humanized and observe the life around closely.

“Anything can become an impetus to creating a work. Anything, from a curtain in the bus to a tire repurposed for a flower bed and painted over by old ladies. Sometimes these works compose a series, or a puzzle. And sometimes they do not,” says Rustam Mirzoev. “I am trying to avoid any direct, overt allegory. There may be occasional ones, unexpected even for me, which for example, a viewer may see. As for the influence of other artists, I cannot single out anyone, but recently I have become fascinated by Japanese artists. They perform complex technical things with such an ease! At first glance, their art is very simple, but it is the most definite and clear.”

RUSTAM MIRZOEV. THE DOG / Illustration courtesy of TSEKH gallery

The “Summer” is the ninth exhibition of Mirzoev in the TSEKH gallery. In 2012 the artist presented the project “Snow,” and the year after that – the “Front portrait”; the past year it was the “Coal.” Each time Mirzoev chooses a special technique. The “Snow” is a series of oil paintings on canvas; the “Front Portrait” consists of charcoal and acrylic drawings on polystyrene; the “Coal” also features acrylic and charcoal drawings, but on the canvas. For the “Summer” series the artist chose charcoal and acrylic techniques. “After two ‘charcoal’ projects I wanted to introduce a little color. However, only so much color so far,” continues Mirzoev.

The visual experience of Mirzoev is valuable, because this artist is self-sufficient, says Oleksandr Shchelushchenko, TSEKH gallery owner. However, continues Shchelushchenko, he has yet to reach his peak. “Although Mirzoev’s projects are not presented every year, he is a holistic and original artist. He conveys the atmosphere of Ukrainian South – and also, the atmosphere of his time and generation; for example, there are references to the psychedelic music of the 1990s. Rustam Mirzoev does not work for someone specific. He rarely goes with the trend. And his style has its lovers. Mirzoev is represented in every major international fair: in the Baltic States, Hungary, Turkey, England, etc. This artist is contemporary, because he reflects the human environment. His reality is what surrounds us nowadays.”

The “Summer” project will be open at TSEKH gallery in Kyiv until December 26.