Sergey Dergun "Space behind the canvas. Pinocchio effect"

Sergei Dergun is an abstract artist working in the genres of geometric abstraction and op-art. Passion for abstraction began in the 80s, when the artist out of pure curiosity tried himself in non-figurative art. However, he does not write pure abstractions, but tries to combine conventionality with reality: this is how certain volumes, objects, and planes that he invented appear, which are often bizarre, but in general completely agree with the laws of nature. “Compositions are composing quickly,” he says, “sometimes in an hour or two, and it’s hard to write, I write some works for half a year, because, apparently, there are certain laws of abstract painting and any composition requires its own, strictly defined color scheme. The main thing for me is that the picture appears naturally, the color is lively, so that the color solution appears as if by itself. Sometimes I try to return to objectivity, but I decide such works anyway according to the laws of abstract painting. I consider optimism an important feature of my work. ” The artist loves to experiment, he is always in search of new means of expression. In recent years, he, under the influence of the founder of op art Victor Vasarelli, has been looking for new ways to create the illusion of space inside the plane of the picture. Using "holes", indentations on the plane of the picture as the main artistic element, the author achieves the original effect of a three-dimensional, multi-layer 3D image. Many compositions carry a sensation of light, movement arising from the depths, behind the plane of the picture. The works are partly reminiscent of images in a kaleidoscope: the mechanism of their birth is also mysterious and they also captivate, hypnotize the viewer, causing unpredictable associations. The artist himself, speaking of the creation of his works, recalled Pinocchio, who was interested in knowing what was hidden behind the hearth drawn on canvas: “People are always interested in what is a little covered. So my work is built on this effect. ” In recent years, Sergey Dergun has been actively working in the pastel technique. “I am interested in searching,” says the artist, “and the paper allows me to catch the thought by the tail. Hence my addiction to pastels in recent years. And I’m curious to create something interesting using very simple elements: a wavy, zigzag line, ball, rectangle, sometimes something else. Then I use the effect of volume, color, contrast, texture and other wisdom of painting. But one law of art remains unchanged: the law of wholeness and harmony. It is he who helps to create an independent, complete world on a flat surface. ” Abstract worlds in which harmony reigns are free. Free artist creating them. The viewer is free to discover these worlds for himself.

Svetlana Ivanova, art critic

Information about the artist:
Sergey Kirillovich Dergun was born in 1951 in Bashkiria.

EDUCATION AND WORK
He received his art education at the Faculty of Art and Technical Graphics of the Kuban State University (Krasnodar). Lives and works in St. Petersburg.

PERSONAL EXHIBITIONS
Member of numerous exhibitions in Russia and abroad (France, Germany, Czech Republic). The artist has 20 personal exhibitions (Moscow (Gallery M’Ars, Central House of Artists), St. Petersburg, Ufa, Samara, Tolyatti, Chelyabinsk, Nizhnevartovsk, Wolfsburg (Germany), Opava (Czech Republic), Prague (Czech Republic)

WORKS IN COLLECTIONS
The works are stored in museums and art galleries in Russia, in the funds of the Ministry of Culture, in domestic and foreign private collections. Thirty paintings were purchased by the Skolkovo Innovation Center and twenty by the Bashkir State Art Museum named after M. V. Nesterov (Ufa).