Art is an incredibly multifaceted and diverse business. But in our country, this conclusion, alas, was not so long ago. For a long time, the Soviet dictatorship subjected to a strict filter any manifestations of all non-standard and avant-garde, and such a creator as Sergei Sherstyuk experienced it on himself. Who was he in our history? What trace did you leave? What are the pictures written by Sergey Sherstyuk talking about?
Brief Biography
The creator, avant-garde artist and lover of the most non-standard in art is a native of Soviet Moscow. Sergey Alexandrovich Sherstyuk was born in 1951 in the family of a respected general, and spent all his childhood years in his hometown.
Later, in his youth, the future artist goes to Kiev, where he enters the Republican Art School named after T.G. Shevchenko. In 1970, he finishes it and returns to Moscow, where he continues his studies already at Moscow State University at the faculty of theory and history of art.
Sergei Shestyuk received his higher education in 1979 and literally a year later became a member of the association of young artists. The 80s became a difficult period for the creator. His style was not in demand in his native country, moreover, he was criticized.
Only in the 90s did the Russian public really recognize and understand who Sergey Sherstyuk was. The artist’s paintings began to appear at exhibitions, the press spoke about him and the first Russian fans appeared, one might say.
Personality formation
In modern language, Sergei Sherstyuk in his youth was a representative of the "golden youth." A parental apartment on Tverskaya, a high father, first-class education and complete freedom of action - all that the younger generation of the 70s could only dream of.
In most cases, adolescents living in such conditions, and remained on the support of their parents, not having achieved anything on their own, but not Sergei Sherstyuk. The biography of the future artist is nonsense, as he became one of the few who skillfully took advantage of the capabilities of his parents and even increased them.
Young Sergey absorbed the mentality of two large cities - Kiev and Moscow. He met people of various classes, managed to be inspired by the beauties of these capitals and skillfully stated this in his art. Since the artist returned to his hometown, we can say that he became a real creator.
Activities in the 80s
In 1980, Sergei Alexandrovich Sherstyuk became a member of the Association of Young Artists of MOSH. His early works are presented at numerous exhibitions in Russia, but they find too few fans among the domestic public.
For this reason, the canvases of the novice hyperrealist (it was in this genre that Sherstyuk wrote his works) are sent to European spaces. The foreign audience took the Russian young creator very warmly, whole events were devoted to his works, and later the most famous of them went to world museums.
So the young and incredibly talented hyperrealist artist Sergey Alexandrovich Sherstyuk became known to the whole world. His works were recognized as one of the best in the field of contemporary art.
A new wave of inspiration
If the early Sherstyuk canvases can be safely entered into the section of hyperrealism, then with the onset of the 90s they began to gravitate towards metaphysics, became more unusual and mysterious. The style and themes of the paintings changed, they acquired a deeper meaning, a certain secret arose in them, but with all this, bright colors remained.
It is worth noting that Sergey Sherstyuk is an artist who could find inspiration in everything that surrounded him. Most likely, the reason for the change in style was perestroika, as well as his personal life (more on this later).
If we talk about perestroika, it was thanks to this event that the domestic artist was noticed at home, became interested and admired. Sergey’s paintings began to appear at Russian exhibitions of contemporary art, the press and guides for art critics spoke about them.
Hyperrealism in painting
Well, the time has come to examine Sergey’s canvases in detail, unravel their secret meaning and understand philosophy. Yes, about the latter, it is worth saying that it is philosophy, hidden symbolism and endless encrypted signs that permeate all his works.
In most cases, Sherstyuk painted still lifes. They depicted extremely simple and ordinary things - apples, pears, peaches, other fruits. In these images, the creator encrypted some abstract meaning. The division of the fruit could symbolize the masculine and feminine. If the subject was repeated many times like a carbon copy and at the same time went into perspective, then the author tried to show how monotonous and boring modern society is.
Similarly, Sergei Sherstyuk expressed problems and issues that were key to people. He did not shout about it, but subtly hinted, being sure that those who needed it would be sure to understand this issue.
What museums have the artist’s canvases in?
Due to the fact that for a long time, Soviet Russia did not recognize a genius in the field of hyperrealism, his work was not entrenched in domestic museums. However, European and American galleries considered it an honor to place Russian artist’s canvases on their walls.
The works that Sergey Sherstyuk wrote are in the Oklahoma Museum in the USA, in a similar institution in Belgium in the city of Antwerp, as well as in Florida.
Recently, the artist’s paintings appeared at the Moscow Museum of Modern Art. Many of Sergey’s works are in private collections of wealthy families in Europe and America.
The book that the artist wrote
Throughout his conscious life, Sergei Sherstyuk used to keep a diary. In it, he set forth mainly his feelings, impressions and thoughts, which concerned him both personally and the Russian people as a whole. Subsequently, his memoirs were collected in a single work, which was called "The Stolen Book."
After reading this work, one involuntarily thinks about problems that are not discussed in society, although they really worry him. In addition, the presentation style is a kind of mix from the avant-garde and “Russian imperialism”, which literally saturated the entire diary of the artist.
Calvary on Tverskaya
“It’s not easy to meet a person who can really be called Russian. There are only a few Russians. Moscow is completely non-Russian,” - these lines, which are taken from the artist’s diary, contain most of what he wanted to convey to us. Sherstyuk was mainly interested a question of unity and uniqueness of his native country.
Making the next entry in his diary, he relied on ideas that were hopelessly lost together with the Russian Empire. He believed that it was at that time that our country was real in every sense of the word, original and unique. He wrote that he misses those times that he did not have to go through, that he regrets what time he lives in and that he hopes for a resurrection of Russia true.
Day of happiness
Many are well aware that Sergey Sherstyuk is the husband of Elena Mayorova, the Russian theater and film actress. They met on June 8, 1985, and from that moment they celebrated this date as the day of their happiness.
The artist has repeatedly stated that in the eyes of friends they were the most carefree and funny couple. It was easy and very good for them together, they never counted money and did not worry about everyday problems.
Two creative people who fell in love literally at first sight and remained faithful to the end of their lives. In a happy marriage, Sergey and Elena lived 12 years and 75 days, and as it turned out, they could not do without each other. In 1997, the actress died as a result of a tragic incident. Soon passed away and her husband.
This secret was never revealed.
Being married, Elena Mayorova repeatedly fell into depression. God did not give the family a child, and for this reason, the actress considered herself flawed, believed that it was her punishment and the cross for some evil deeds. However, love for her husband gave her the opportunity to enjoy life and continue to create.
Throughout the 12 years of marriage, despite moments of sadness and despondency, the public saw Elena always joyful, smiling, and radiant. But on August 23, 1997, a strange and mystical tragedy occurred that took away not only the life of the actress, but also, subsequently, her wife. Elena ran out into the street from the entrance, all on fire, her clothes were burned out, leaving only soot behind. She died suddenly, without waiting for help from passers-by.
Sergei Sherstyuk - the husband of Elena Mayorova - was sure that all this happened by an absurd accident (accidentally doused with kerosene, which she poured into a lamp, and lit a cigarette). Some believed that Mayorova committed suicide, but why then did she run out to the street to ask people for help? The actress took this riddle with her to the grave, leaving her husband to live out the last, most sad days on Earth.
What did Sergey Sherstyuk die from?
As it turned out, they die of love. 9 months after the tragic death of Elena, her husband died - the artist Sergei Sherstyuk. The official diagnosis, which was indicated in the conclusion, is a malignant tumor that has evolved too quickly.
But all of Sergei’s friends and acquaintances know that the cause of death was the endless melancholy and grief that replaced his wife. The artist spent the last months of his life in the deepest depression. He lived only with memories of lost happiness; nothing inspired him anymore.
However, Sergei found the strength to create, paint new paintings and even organize exhibitions. He went out into the light, but it was as if there was not of this world. Friends claimed that he seemed to fall into a different reality, emerging from there only in order to give an interview or answer questions from admirers of his work.
A talented and extraordinary artist died on May 23, 1998 in Moscow, exactly 9 months after his beloved and only wife died.