At the exhibition one of the bright representatives of art of the era of stagnation, perestroika and post-Soviet time are 86 paintings and one video installation from the collection of the state Tretyakov gallery and private collections

the State Tretyakov gallery
27 Mar — on July 28 2019
New Tretyakov gallery, Moscow, Krimsky Val, 10, halls 39-42

Creativity Seeds Faibisovich does not fit into any of the directions of Russian art of the last quarter of the XX — beginning of the XXI century. It is not a representative of conceptualism, Sots-арта and even photorealism, although at first glance these relations might seem obvious. The combination of unmanifested conscious individual painterly style, primary visual "unrecognizable" and at the same time the uniqueness of semantic combinations, which immediately indicates the author, — the main feature of his creative method.

after Graduating from the Moscow architectural Institute in 1972, Semyon Faibisovich combined work of the architect with the pursuit of graphics. He felt the need to work in color, independently studied painting. A little later, picking up the camera, he began to examine reality through the lens of the camera. This was the starting point of his artistic method: images were recorded on film, and then "translated" into monumental canvases, keeping the similarity with the photo.

the First work Faibisovich was addressed to the motives and meanings of "physicality" and "materiality" of the objective world ("Kitchen texture", 1980; "Shot", 1982;, "Metamorphosis", 1983). But he soon moved on to stories and images of late Soviet reality. Monitoring the future characters of his work he conducted in public spaces: railway stations, behind the glass of a city bus, in the subway, in the car suburban trains (loop "bus", 1983-1984; "Moscow metro them. Lenin", 1985-1987; "Suburban train", 1986-1990). Meanwhile, his eyes, unlike his colleagues-современников, was deprived of time what-либо social or criticality of irony — as well as sympathy. Even in the racier works of the early 1990-х ("anniversary rally", 1991@the semicolon "Farewell to academician Sakharov", 1991@the semicolon "Russian", 1991@the semicolon scenic installation "the Last demonstration", 1992) his artistic vision is absolutely akin to the "objectivity" of the camera, which only configures the object, removes or brings it closer, without changing its organic properties personal interpretation. Later Semyon Faibisovich will say that he managed to capture a portrait of a bygone era. But it is more important for him was the artistic task: the contrast of the static and figures floating outside the window of the scenery, "observation of observation" (spectator view of hero, looking through the glass at the landscape), the play of light and reflections on metal, mirror or glass surfaces, the transfer of the effect of "double exposure", creating a picturesque superimposed transparent layers.

In 1988, Seeds Faibisovichinvited to work and exhibit in the United States, where he remained about two years. Starting on his return to Russia a new project, the focus of his attention, he suffered from political and social reality on the optical effects of residual vision and the specifics of the stereoscopic vision. The Evidence of the first half of 1990-х researched literally physiological experience of "viewing", "intermediate layers" through which the (usually oblivious to them) we look at the world. Captured by the artist stage looking transfer "the game object with the subject," and recorded the reality of change their usual meanings for us without the author's intervention. Paintings from the series "Negatives," which reflect the life experience of Faibisovich in the United States in photographic negatives, correlated with the residual image on the retina of the eye. Another scenic project — "Along with Spielberg (the experience of deconstruction)" (1995) — demonstrates the metamorphosis of visual perception of the scene from the movie "Schindler's List". Dramatic monochrome frame in which children hiding from the Nazis in a cesspool, partially sun-drenched, continues in five pictures, showing the changes in color and plastically-пространственных relations of reality and its reflection in the eyes closed.

In 1995, the artist ceased to paint, immersed in the literature and exhibited only photographs, installations and videos. One of the works of this period — video installation "Node under the pine trees. Double session" (2001) — represented in the exhibition. It is based on a convergence of ontological opposites — "high" and "low" art, and vulgarity of spirit and matter, which, in fact, are one and the same. The visuals are composed of frames of a documentary film by Alexander Sokurov on Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and commercials of the early 1990-х.

After a twelve-year break, the artist returned to painting. This new phase, defined them as сomeback dedicated a special section of the exhibition. One of the new cycles was "Razguliay" (2008-2009), in which the artist has combined the search of their earlier works with new capabilities of technology, complemented by modern psychological and socio-cultural contexts. Capturing a portrait of a new time, Faibisovich, as always, uses contrasting techniques, but in a different combination — for instance, creates a marginal images of homeless people and people with disabilities in the technique of coffee gloss; mocks the aesthetics of glamour, stretching on huge canvases shots taken on weak phone camera, where they serve as podmalevka for paintings, and calling it "creating a new synthesis of cultural garbage." A different perspective opens up for the viewer a new station series (2010): the permanent inhabitants of the Kazan station stand in its bright stealth, Recalling the images that are created on the edge of two other eras more than 100 years ago artists-передвижники. Association with the Wanderers one is tempted even in the most positive of the series "Myyard" (2012-2013), depicting the little man in the everyday world. But in these works the main purpose for-прежнему is the observation of light and its artistic effects, as in the scenic installation "One day at sunset" (2011).

Retrospective at the Tretyakov gallery — most important stage a large exhibition of the history of Seeds Faibisovich, which is well-know the audience and collectors not only Russia, but also USA, Germany, great Britain, Hungary and other countries of Europe, where his works can be found in Museum and private collections.

In the framework of the exhibition will be held public discussions, meetings with the artist, which will allow a deeper acquaintance with the works of Semyon Faibisovich.

Source: press-релиз GTG