Exhibition of works by Smolensk artist Yuri Melkov "On the native land"

From December 9, 2016 to January 15, 2017 in Smolensk at the Cultural and Exhibition Center. Tenishevs presented a personal art exhibition "ON THE NATIVE LAND" of the Smolensk artist YURI MELKOV. The exhibition is dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the artist and 45th anniversary of creative activity. The exhibition exhibits about 150 paintings - from small field studies to thematic paintings. This is a retrospective show of the artist. The earliest work is Self Portrait, dating from 1971. All the artist’s work is dedicated to his native land, its people and history.

The paintings by Yuri Melkov are made in various genres, such as still lifes, landscapes, portraits, historical paintings, temple paintings. Each artist’s work has its own color scheme, and it is color that determines the emotional state of the work. The works of the Smolensk artist Yuri Melkov are very optimistic and carry a charge of good energy, which the attentive and sensitive audience will certainly feel. In his works, the artist seeks sincerity and warmth. Each of his paintings is a serious reason to delve into the essence of being, to understand your place in life and to admire this life. It is the love of life, in many of its manifestations, that can be considered the main content of the artist’s works. His art is conflict-free and restrained; there is no epotage and affection in it, which is characteristic of modern life and, in many ways, modern art. Yuri Melkov in his art, on the contrary, takes the viewer out of the usual frenzied rhythm of his life - into the world of calm contemplation of the eternal and immutable values of this life, makes the viewer stop and relax in his soul before rushing into the cycle of everyday problems.

The artist thoughtfully and painstakingly throughout his work creates a collective image of Russia. From a small sketch to a thoughtful and verified picture, the artist remains faithful to his love for the Motherland. Yuri Melkov is especially sensitive to the emotional content of Central Russian nature. The point here is especially the artist’s picturesque gift and the properties of his character, the main features of which are his inner tact and special delicacy in approaching one or another natural motive. Most often, these motives are simple and unpretentious: a field, a forest, a lake or a rivulet, flowers near a house, a flowering lilac bush in a front garden… Along with this, in a number of works, the artist also has a large-scale, epic view of the world from the bird’s flight, thereby raising and the viewer before this vision. A special place in the artist’s work is occupied by a historical theme. During his creative life, he created more than two dozen paintings with historical themes. At the anniversary exhibition, in the Cultural and Exhibition Center. Tenishevs, Yuri Melkov shows a number of works with historical themes, most of which are connected with the Smolensk land and its heroic history. For the first time the artist presents works that are dedicated to Smolensk at the beginning of the 17th century. This is a picture recreating the historical look of the city - “Smolensk at the beginning of the 17th century” and the paintings “Blessing” and “Breakthrough”, which depict the dramatic events of the defense of Smolensk from Polish invaders in 1609-1611. Topics raised by Smolensk artist Yuri Melkov in historical works are more relevant than ever. In the difficult, crucial time experienced by Russia, people are growing more interested in the history of the Fatherland, their native land. And his task of the Russian artist, Yuri Melkov sees, first of all, to clearly demonstrate to the viewer the examples of high faith and spiritual strength of the people, who have overcome great difficulties and difficult trials. All the works presented at the exhibition are united by this theme of patriotism and filial love for Russia.