Soviet power reacted to formalism and non-conformism negatively. Despite the successes of many Russian artists of that time in their work, a huge part of them had big problems with the party leadership. Familiar exhibitions had the character of gray, but competently completed works. However, the masters, who have completely different views aimed at individualism, tried to convey to others that the artistās task is to create. The important thing in this creation is not the depicted incident, but the emotional illumination. Oleg Tselkov was one of these masters.
Artist's life
The biography of the artist Oleg Tselkov is characteristic of non-conformists of the Soviet era. He was born in Moscow in 1934, on July 15. From 1949 to 1953 he studied at the art school of his native city, he graduated with enviable distinction. In 1954, the young artist entered the theater institute in the city of Minsk, but was expelled due to āformalismā. In 1955, he began his studies at the Repin Leningrad Institute of Arts, but Oleg Tselkov could not finish it for the same reason. In 1958, with some help, the artist was nevertheless able to get a higher education at the Leningrad Theater Institute and became a stage designer. Despite all the difficulties of self-expression, Oleg Tselkov was able to determine a clear direction in art, which he still adheres to. He even tried to open a couple of exhibitions with his works, but both were not very successful. The last of them was interrupted 15 minutes after it began by KGB officers, who plunged the room into darkness with a lack of electricity and dispersed the audience. In 1977, Oleg emigrated and found his refuge in the city of love - Paris, where he still lives.
Artist and politics
Oleg Tselkov was one of the masters who vehemently carried the goal of individualism in their works. And he always believed that the Soviet government was not acquainted with his work. Now, looking back, the artist confidently declares that if he had stayed where he was born, the consequences would be terrible.
Even when the nonconformist was a young student, police often complained from over. The studentās father answered shortly and clearly when asked why his son wasnāt working. His words sounded like a statement that Oleg works from morning to night. Yes, he does not provide for himself yet, however, he has a family. And despite all these problems, Oleg Tselkov also confidently says that it is everyoneās duty to be yourself and do things to your taste. And it was communism, according to Oleg, that was the enemy of creative diversity, which did not allow people to reveal their capabilities. Now, in a time of free opinion and vast opportunities, the artist is trying not to spend hours talking about politics. After all, this time is best spent with benefit.
Artist and Theater
The master of his craft failed to get an art education. While still taking his first creative steps, he felt that he would be driven away everywhere. It would seem that the artist is a bully who gets in the way under the feet of the government. But he calls himself simply a strange person who wanted one, but got a completely different one. And by āotherā we mean theatrical education, which even allowed Oleg to earn money. He was able to arrange a dozen scenes for the performances of the city of Kimra in the Tver region. This business was difficult for the artist, on the one hand, and on the other, light and pleasant. Oleg liked the theater because there wasnāt much to invent anything there, but there were situations when it was necessary to travel with actors around the city, the cold and follow the performances in the most unexpected places. Oleg Tselkov was never deeply interested in theater. He himself claims that he never even read plays. His business consists precisely in the creation of his paintings.
Tselkov painting
Despite the rather difficult past, at the present time the paintings of Oleg Nikolayevich Tselkov live a wonderful life. The reaction of viewers who first looked at the canvases will always be very different. However, the sensations will remain the same. The characters of the paintings are shown by immense and swollen bodies with strange distorted heads. There are no sharp corners, but instead of them, unusual disproportionate figures are depicted, whose heads are aimed at the viewer from somewhere in the depths. So depicts his heroes Oleg Tselkov. Masks - this is how viewers nicknamed faces on canvases.
Among the emotions you can not see something warm. The transmission of feelings on the faces of the inhabitants of the paintings is constantly difficult and even unpleasant. The color scheme stands out in deep, bright, sometimes contrasting colors. The first created from this series of mask pictures was painted by accident. For some time, the artist reflected on the importance of highlighting something unusual and surprising among all his few knowledge of art. And then he painted a face that looked at its creator and made it clear that the artist had found his idea.
Cost of paintings
Oleg Tselkov talks about the fact that once his paintings were bought for 100-150 rubles apiece. Although the artist himself estimated them at 20 rubles. During the misery of the artist, an American playwright and prose writer Arthur Miller got into his studio. He chose one of Olegās paintings and stated that he wanted to know its price. Tselkov was confused at some point, not having the belief that such a person wants to buy his picture. Gathering his thoughts, the master said: "Three hundred." And Arthur Miller, in turn, with great surprise asked: "Three hundred what? Rubles?" In the end, the painting was sold for only three hundred rubles. But, as it turned out, the playwright was surprised so much because he thought that the work was priced in dollars. After this mistake, Oleg Tselkov decided to act more wisely. He measured the parameters of the picture and calculated its area by multiplying the height by width. To the following questions about the cost of a work, the master firmly stated that one square centimeter is equal to one dollar. On June 12, 2007, a painting by Oleg Nikolayevich Tselkov with the title "Five Masks" was put up for auction in London with an initial price of 120-160 thousand dollars, and it was sold several times more expensive.
At one time, the famous collector George Kostaki bought this work from the artist. Also, the once gone into obscurity picture that the artist presented to the Canadian ambassador appeared at an auction and was sold for 279 thousand dollars.
Exhibition in Petersburg
One of the most striking exhibitions of the artist Oleg Nikolayevich Tselkov was opened in St. Petersburg at the Lazarev Gallery in 2011 and was named āOleg Tselkov. XXI Century". It consisted of 15 paintings that were painted between 2000 and 2010. The artist himself spoke about what is rare in Russia. However, if you come to stay, then it certainly will not do without a gift. In 2004, he donated some paintings to four museums - the Hermitage, Pushkin, Russian, Tretyakov Gallery. Such actions indicate that the creator is not at all difficult to part with his work. And the artist himself proved this, saying that when he burns creations in a fire, he will not be sad. If this incident happened to them, then it should have happened.
Exhibition in New York
The second particularly bright exhibition was opened in 2013 in New York by the gallery of Russian painting ABA. It consisted of 48 paintings by the artist Oleg Tselkov, written between 1969 and 2010. The owner of the gallery Anatoly Bakkerman told the audience that he met the artist himself in Paris. And this meeting was due to the famous collector Alexander Glazer. By that time, Anatoly already had a canvas by Oleg Tselkov. Even then, he was struck by the unusual and vibrant presentation, with the help of which amazing masks were created. Anatoly Bakkerman opened this exhibition in order to convey to the audience the deep philosophical meaning of the paintings of the artist who surprised him.
"One picture for life"
So what is the idea of āāthe daring and bright paintings of the artist Oleg Nikolayevich Tselkov? What in these canvases allows Oleg to stand in fifth place among Soviet artists in creating the most expensive canvases? The inhabitants of his work are masked soldiers who have rebelled against everything in the world that could humiliate a person. They go against a system in which people are gears, and if at least one of them turns the wrong way, it will be destroyed and replaced. This army was nicknamed "a tribe that no one has ever seen," because they carry within themselves anger and longing at the same time to show humanity its real appearance, which many people hide. The artist himself cannot give them a definition and sometimes even calls himself ādamnedā. He calmly parted with paintings and never painted on the order of the principle, which states that art should not be created for commercial purposes. The artist Oleg Tselkov does not say exactly what exactly lies in the diversity of his paintings. He confidently states that he creates one picture, but each time in a different way.