Vadim Grigoriev-Bashun. New Beauty

Vadim Grigoryev-Bashun has always strived for relevance, radically shifting directions and genres. In the 1990s, he successfully pursued abstract painting, living and exhibiting in various European countries. He then became fascinated with the symbolism of runic symbols and the art of photography. The trend shifted, and he turned to art objects, which he creates entirely himself — from the physical form to the software. In recent years, the artist has returned to figurative painting.

A bold and open approach to reality prompts the artist to explore current themes. His recent works are undoubtedly a satire on modernity. For several years, Vadim Grigoryev-Bashun spent time constructing the Lethal Apparatus — a kinetic art object that combines a sarcophagus, a Slavic coffin, and an airplane into a device for epic transport to the other world. In another work, the artist’s television screen simultaneously references Malevich’s "Black Square" and the "black mirror" of reality. The diptych "New Petersburgers" (ranked among the top 10 for the 2024 Erarta Prize) evokes a contemporary city where self-confident, tattooed scooter riders race toward the sun, while a hard-working delivery man pedals through the pouring rain.

The exhibition features only a small selection of works from various cycles. The artist continues to develop a technique he once discovered, allowing traditional paintings to take on a contemporary form. The canvases literally grow out of their frames, transforming into something new. The most recent work is "Chameleon," in which the artist combines literal meaning and allegory. The chameleon, as befits him, diligently tries to adapt to an ever-changing reality: clinging to a tree with all his might, he fearfully changes colors.

About the author

Vadim Grigoriev-Bashun is a painter, graphic artist, photographer, and creator of kinetic objects. He was born in Leningrad in 1960. In 1984, he graduated with honors from the graphics department of the Ilya Repin Institute of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture. Since 1981, he has participated in art exhibitions in Russia and abroad. He worked and studied Renaissance art in Italy and taught at an art college in Germany. In 2024, he won the Erarta Prize. He lives and works in St. Petersburg.