Exhibition "Variations on a Russian theme" by Saratov artist Elena Pichugina

In the Lavrushinsky 15 hall in Moscow, an exhibition entitled Variations on a Russian Theme by Saratov artist Elena Pichugina opens

From May 4 to May 17, 2017, in the Lavrushinsky 15 Hall of Fine Arts of the Volga branch of the Russian Academy of Arts and TSH of Russia in Moscow (Lavrushinsky per. 15), a personal exhibition of Saratov artist Elena Pichugina “Variations on the Russian theme. Painting, graphics. " Vernissage will take place on May 11 at 16.00.

Elena Pichugina works in different techniques: oil, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, linocut, wall painting. The first show of the exhibition “Variations on a Russian theme” took place in Saratov, in the halls of the Radishchev Museum in February-March of the current year. The exhibition aroused great interest from the professional community, the author was invited to present his new works in Moscow.

The name of the exhibition accurately reflects the content and nature of the author’s life position. “Variations on a Russian theme” is the main theme of the work of Elena Pichugina.

Russia, Russia with its people, nature, life, architecture, legends have always interested the artist. Thoughts on this subject did not begin overnight. The exhibition presents works of different periods, starting from 1997 and ending in 2016. The latter are made not only in graphic technique (pastel), but also in painting (canvas / oil, canvas / acrylic).

The viewer is offered a wide panorama of Russian nature (Karelia, the vicinity of Khvalynsk, villages, endless expanses of forests, hills and fields of central Russia), ancient Russian architecture of the cities of Rostov the Great and Great Ustyug, Pskov, Sergiev Posad. Villagers, as a rule, old people, are shown at the time of rest, in thought about their life. The interiors give an idea of the culture of folk art preserved in Russian villages.

This exhibition is an art world based on real impressions of the author, carefully and lovingly received. Landscapes of Elena Pichugina are lyrical, consonant in mood with the lyrics of Russian poets, singing nature. The works are built on subtle color transitions that emphasize the harmony of the world. Elena is also subject to decorative compositions in which bright spots of color and plastic lines filling the plane of a sheet or canvas remind of the brightness of folk art. In any case, this is the real world, colored by the imagination and imagination of the author.

Elena Pichugina on the idea of the exhibition project: “The Russian theme is huge, as Russia itself with its centuries-old history and multinational population. "The sixth part of the earth with the name short Russia," as Yesenin wrote. I called my exhibition “Variations on a Russian theme” because I show here only a few options for solving the theme out of a hundred possible. These are landscapes of the middle zone and the north of Russia, printed graphics created on the basis of travel impressions, and plot compositions based on my thoughts about Russian antiquity.

In large cities, we are increasingly moving away from national characteristics. In my paintings there are small towns and villages where the originality of a Russian character has been preserved: Pushkin Mountains, Pskov, Veliky Ustyug, Solvychegodsk (Arkhangelsk region), Karelian villages Sholtozero and Rybreka, Rostov Veliky, Sergiev Posad, Pereslavl-Zalessky… I was lucky to visit there with sketchbook. Personally, I see beauty and harmony in a kind of "pattern", in a combination of colors and textures, as if intertwined. This was largely influenced by my preoccupation with color linocut, the principles of which I transfer to almost all art materials. I like stories where there is warmth and comfort, whether it be a landscape or a village chamber. Mystery also attracts me, so I have a lot of work called "Night."

In the plot paintings, I used the images of Leo, the Sun and the Bird to convey my understanding of the fundamental principles of the Russian character. I especially like the image of Leo. This beast is not found in Russia, but it is in folk art, in stone and wooden architecture, in the painting of spinning wheels and shutters. I think Leo "took root" with us because he has the same contradictory character as the Russian people themselves: he is lazy and complacent until he gets angry. The same image bears the image of the Bear, but it is more associated with folk tales, and I did not want to be illustrative. In addition, Leo is a solar symbol and a symbol of power. Birds in all cultures are uniquely positive; they are in my paintings a ray of hope that is always alive among the people. Men often ask questions:
“What to do?”, “Who is to blame?”, “How to equip Russia?”. I’m trying to understand as a woman why we are and what kind of Russians are we? I looked for answers to these questions in my works. I hope that they will be in tune with someone, someone will be forced to think, but in general, I wanted to please and warm people with my work. ”

Elena Vladimirovna Pichugina (1974) was born and lives in Saratov. Graduated from St. Petersburg State Academic Institute. I.E. Repina, Faculty of Easel Graphics (2000). She studied in the studio of the academician, people’s artist of Russia V.A. Vetrogonsky. The thesis was praised by the Council of the Institute and the scholarship of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. It is worth noting that the diploma series “Circus” was immediately acquired by the Museum of Circus Art of St. Petersburg.

Elena Vladimirovna Pichugina

In 2003 - 2007, E. Pichugina completed an internship at the Creative Workshop of the Russian Academy of Arts, People’s Artist of Russia A.V. Uchaev (Saratov). Member of regional, regional, national exhibitions since 1997. Member of the Union of Artists of Russia (2002), Creative Union of Artists of Russia (2016). Member of the academic project "Red Gate / Against the Current" (2014, 2016). In 2016, the painting "Tightrope walkers" was included in the exhibition "Circus" at the State Russian Museum (St. Petersburg). Member of the All-Russian exhibitions “Faces of Russia”, “Tsiolkovsky, Korolev, Gagarin” (2016). Personal exhibitions in Saratov were held in 1999, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2017. The works are in private collections in Russia, Germany, France, Spain.