Igor Medvedev...

Much has been written about Igor Medvedev’s quest for the “authentic” subject matter to paint. He says, “many, many dealers many, many times have asked me to paint Venice, Paris, London. But I could not. I would not. Those would be clichés. No, I find inspiration in the honesty and purity of the simple, colorful fishing boat, the hand-made net, the hand-built walls in a simple village. They are far-flung about the Mediterranean, and each has its own singular style

Medvedev, then, has found in the villages of the Mediterranean and elsewhere – the Holy Land and Spain, among others – a kind of purified architectural language, which inspires this artist-urbanite, whose cosmopolitan upbringing in Russia, Germany and now California contrasts with the relief and relaxation that await him on his yearly sojourns to sun-drenched isles. The opposite of clichés, these ancient or antique sites emanate authenticity.

Medvedev also finds in the curves of his whitewashed walls, in the protuberances of rustic, terra-cotta adornments, in the shadows on a green-painted door or window – with their air of chiaroscuro mystery – the essence of woman, herself. Like a curvaceous, lightly-modeled bronze by Jean Arp, Medvedev perceives in smooth, village architecture the feminine qualities of fullness, roundness, warmth.

Then again, he will point out that the great interlocking walls, towers, turrets and bastions found in his work have all stood the test of time – strong sentinels whose integrity of construction stand like architectonic symbols of the determination of mankind to endure. It makes plastic and concrete buildings from the sixties, now falling apart, look terrible indeed.

Like a fine Swiss watch, Medvedev’s Old Master approach is better, I think. Here you find only the perfect, concertised movement of composition in the stillness of classic time. And instead of winding your old timepiece daily, here all you have to do is switch on the lights in your rooms to activate the authentic painting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: All in Bloom Medium: Hand-Embellished Serigraph Size: 31 x 41 Year: 1998

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Beloved Medium: Hand-Embellished Serigraph Size: 12 x 12 (mini), or 33 x 32.5 Year: 2001

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Bougainvillea Feast Medium: Hand-Embellished Serigraph Size: 32 .5 x 24.5 Year: 2002

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Captivating Medium: Hand-Embellished Serigraph Size: 41 x 31 Year: 1998

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Demure Medium: Hand-embellished serigraph Size: 32 x 23 Year: 2000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Dormant Fleet II Medium: Hand-embellished serigraph Size: 23 x 30 Year: 1993

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Double (paper or canvas) Medium: Hand-Embellished Serigraph on Paper or Canvas Size: 16 x 33 (paper); 17 x 33 (canvas) Year: 1998

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Dreaming Medium: Hand-embellished serigraph Size: 33 x 25 Year: 1999

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Emerald Gate Medium: Hand-embellished serigraph Size: 17 x 10 Year: 1999

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Enchanting Corner Medium: Hand-Embellished Serigraph Size: 30 x 22 Year: 1995

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Front Row Medium: Hand-Embellished Serigraph Size: 22 x 29 Year: 1996

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Glowing Medium: Hand-Embellished Serigraph Size: 23 x 30 Year: 1995

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Golden Nets Medium: Hand-embellished serigraph Size: 30 x 22 Year: 1998

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Gone Fishing Medium: Hand-embellished serigraph Size: 16 x 12 Year: 1999

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Gossamer Blossom Medium: Hand-Embellished Serigraph Size: 23 x 30 Year: 1997

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Green Door #26 Medium: Hand-embellished serigraph Size: 13 x 8.5 (small); 34 x 22 (large) Year: 1993/1996

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Happy Pair Medium: Hand-Embellished Serigraph Size: 30 x 22 Year: 1995

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Harmony in Blue Medium: Hand-Embellished Serigraph Size: 33 x 48 Year: 1999

 

 

 

 

Title: Magenta Canopy Medium: Hand-embellished serigraph Size: 34 x 25.5 Year: 2006

 

 

 

 

Title: High Above Medium: Mixed Media on Paper Size: 30 x 23 Year: 2002

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Country Window Medium: Mixed Media on Paper Size: 30 x 23 Year: 2002

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Patmos Monastery Medium: Mixed Media on Paper Size: 30 x 23 Year: 2002

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Emerald Field Medium: Mixed Media on Paper Size: 30 x 23 Year: 2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Gentle Breeze II Medium: Mixed Media on Paper Size: 30 x 23 Year: 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Bird Song Medium: Mixed Media on Paper Size: 30 x 23 Year: 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Hidden Pass Medium: Mixed Media on Paper Size: 30 x 23 Year: 2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Loaded Medium: Mixed Media on Paper Size: 30 x 23 Year: 2005

 

 

 

 

Title: Angled Shadows Medium: Mixed Media on Board Size: 40 x 23 Year: 2002

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Monestary on Samos Medium: Mixed Media on Canvas Size: 36 x 48 Year: 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Domestic Medium: Mixed Media on Canvas Size: 48 x 36 Year: 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Mesagronia Village II Medium: Mixed Media on Canvas Size: 30 x 40 Year: 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Santorini Maze Medium: Mixed Media on Board Size: 35 x 34.5 Year: 2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Fields of Tuscany I Medium: Mixed Media on Board Size: 19 x 40 Year: 2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Window on Samos Medium: Mixed Media on Canvas Size: 36 x 24 Year: 2005

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Stylized II Medium: Mixed Media on Canvas Size: 36 x 36 Year: 2005