Nuriev's method—Leap into freedom,
#8 NURIEV-BOW. 2018
100x50
Canvas, acrylic, gold leaf, cardboard
This work is part of the large project «Nureyev's Method - Leap into Freedom». Rudolf Nureyev was one of the greatest ballet dancers and choreographers of the 20th century. He lived in Paris, conducted and performed in the most famous theaters in Europe and around the world. In this work, I used the idea of the Fayum portrait: the artist's head is drawn separately on cardboard. The background around Nureyev's figure was pasted over with gold leaf, and the lower part was painted with acrylic. I am the only artist who painted Nureyev in Russia. My paintings participated in the Rudolf Nureyev’s Ballet Festival in Kazan in 2018. I managed to feel this man and show him to the viewer the way I saw him 30 years after his death. The use of elements of ancient Egyptian painting demonstrates the connection between history and modernity, the transition to post-conceptual art. The picture is painted on canvas with elements of cardboard, acrylic and gold leaf.
