Equilibrium

On October 1st, Elena Kalugina’s exhibition "Balance" opens at the Siberian Art Gallery (23 Karl Marx Street). The exhibition features paintings and graphic works by the artist. The exhibition is dedicated to those closest to the artist — family, teachers, friends — those who have become a support, inspiration, and source of strength throughout her life and creative journey.

Elena Kalugina was born in Irkutsk and graduated from the Irkutsk Art College in 2001 with a degree in painting. Her mentor was the renowned artist Nikolai Mikhailovich Morozov. The artist herself chose a career in teaching — since 2008, she has taught specialized subjects at the I.L. Kopylov Irkutsk Regional Art College. She is a member of the Union of Artists of Russia.

A special theme in her work is Siberian nature: mountains, taiga, and Lake Baikal. These images are connected to a family tradition: Elena’s grandfather, the Irkutsk and Angarsk artist Stepan Kuzmich Gvozdev, passed away early, but his soulful Siberian landscapes nourished the future artist from childhood. Her grandmother, Alevtina Alexandrovna Gvozdeva, an endlessly creative person, also left a deep mark on her development. In her work, the artist seeks out unconventional images, experimenting with genres and techniques in painting and graphics. This visual language is her way of speaking about moving topics and those dear to her.