Ivan Semenovich Chuikov (b. 1935) - son of academic painting, a graduate Surikov Institute and one of the leading artists of Moscow Conceptualism.

For many years he explores the problem of collision of illusion and reality in the film, organically combining in his work, careful analysis of lyricism. Chuikov soon realized the need for deeper understanding the essence of pictorial art, but unlike Western counterparts of Conceptual, seeking to reach the "Anatomy" of art to the end, always defended the right of art to the mystery. "Over the outer shell of the surrounding world and his images lies something else, what we do not know and can not be called - he said in an interview with Dmitri Barabanov (1998). - I feel surprised by the very possibility that any paint, while acknowledging this, that this picture is inadequate. Beyond what we see is a kind of mystery, something which nature can not be the image ».

In 1979, Boris Groys Art Research published in the Journal of Soviet unofficial art "AZ" famous article on "Moscow romantic conceptualists, among whom he included and Chuikov. Exhibited in the range of the artist began a few years earlier, although the conceptual work began to create in the late 1960's: it was a series of "Windows," playing off the idea of the Renaissance theorist Alberti that "painting is a window into the world." Over the years chuykovskie "window" showing all: and realistic views, and impressionistic compositions, and abstraction, and "grab-bag" from a variety of beautiful pieces ... Snippets - a key theme in the work of the painter: Chuykov masterfully combines paintings and installations of the images belonging to different worlds. In one work can meet the fragments of classical paintings, impressionist landscapes and Soviet posters ... One might suspect this cynicism: how is it - equate clumsy propaganda and the top of the classical art? .. But all these images together and the inadequacy of conventional reality, and (we like it or not) its own special magic. Devoted to this topic and installation of "Theory of reflection", which represents several kinds of transfer of the traditional still life (the bottle, glass and an apple) from the reality of the world maps. Items depicted on canvas, reflected in a mirror placed behind glass, and painted on a mirror and on the school board.

intellectual rigor Chuikova creativity is not to say that his work on the stingy emotions. At last year's Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art Chuikov presented an unusual project on the "splitting of consciousness": a room, divided in two by a wall. The roots of the idea should be sought in the experience of the artist, who in Soviet times, earned his living by painting backs rural clubs. According to Chuikov, after every such work, he felt completely devastated, switch to their own art was painful. The artist found out - leave some work unfinished, and on his return continued to work on them.

Pictures Chuikova included in the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery, Pushkin them. Pushkin State Russian Museum, Moscow Museum of Modern Art, Pompidou Centre and other museums.

From May 26 to July 10 of the painter can be seen in the gallery "Regina".

Chuikov was one of the artists whose works included in the catalog of the legendary "Russian Sotheby's in 1988. His paintings appear at public sale fairly regularly. Record belongs to the nameless canvas, 1986, who brought at Sotheby's March 12, 2008 96,5 thousand pounds for Estima 15-20 thousand (!) The same day, three-part composition "Windows" went for 94.1 thousand (estimate 20-30 thousand) .

material prepared Yulia Maximova, AI

Sources: openspace.ru , artchronika.ru , azbuka.gif.ru , art4.ru , artinvestment.ru