M. KELNER GALLERY
Having been brought up within an émigré community of Soviet artists, dissidents, writers and musicians, there is no separating my family's journey to America from the task of finding a common thread among the artists featured here. These are parallel narratives and whether working on a short story or screenplay or curating an exhibit of fine art, I am, above all, a storyteller. Much of my own creative work is fueled by growing up between two cultures; Russian was my first language, though I was born and raised in the United States. While the anecdotes are plenty, the duality remains the same, often as a doorway to new insights and observation.
Since 2001, sourcing and sharing Russian paintings has been a passion. In exploring why my parents immigrated to America and under what conditions, I looked to the art of the times for answers. What I discovered was a sense of urgency and controversy — visual protest and an emotional reaction to Soviet suppression and censorship over all artistic endeavors. In a period when any expression was a political act in and of itself, these artists gave voice to those who could not be heard. In turn, they made not only art history, but in their own way, helped give shape to world history. By investigating the subtext of these works — especially of those completed in the Soviet era — I have gained a better awareness of self.
I hope you enjoy viewing these Russian non-conformist paintings and sculptures, which showcase some of the country's more established and famed artists of the past 40 years. This is a rare opportunity to explore some of Russia's most idiosyncratic art and a chance to see new images created in the West, yet distinctively part of a larger, international body of work. Having developed relationships with museums, auction houses, corporate and private collections worldwide, I look forward to better serving both established collectors and those just starting out.
Vitaly Komar, Lenin with Crown, oil and tempera on canvas, 183x152 cm, 73x60 in, 2008
Arkady Petrov, Birth, oil on canvas, 135x150 cm, 54x60 in, 1989
Alexander Kosolapov, Red Venus, oil on canvas, 157x117 cm, 62x47 in, 1986
Leonid Sokov, The Bear, bronze, 30x13x43 cm, 12x6x17 in, 1996
Leonid Lamm, Peace/Mir, acrylic on paper, 51x41 cm, 21x17 in, 1982
Oleg Tselkov, Two Glasses, oil on canvas, 66x81 cm, 26x32 in, 1990
Yevgeny Rukhin, Untitled, oil and mixed media on canvas, 66x70 cm, 26x28 in, 1976
Vladimir Ovchinnikov, On the Platform, oil on canvas, 62x95 cm, 25x38 in, 1993
Yefim Ladyzhensky, Still Life, ink on paper, 51x66 cm, 21x26 in, 1967
Vladimir Nemukhin, Still Life, oil on canvas, 51x61 cm, 21x25 in, 1987
Boris Kozlov, Christmas, acryilic on paper, 44x60 cm, 18x24 in, 1993
Alexander Zhdanov, Landscape, oil on board, 94x94 cm, 38x38 in, 1982