Ideas and Art: Paintings

This project is dedicated to the expression and preservation of our personal Memories. To some extent it has very much in common with my Research. That is to say, by using acrylic paints I am trying to show that all the Memories, however "insignificant" they might seem, are important, and everybody, regardless of their artistic background, can do their share to Keep those precious Memories Alive.

Squirrel. Stretching

This acrylic painting represents a squirrel stretching and holding on to a tree with its hind legs. I had never seen such a wonderful scene before, and I decided to express my memories of that moment in Art and thus preserve them. When creating this painting, I was using a dandelion as a brush.

Squirrel Safari

This is another portrait of the squirrel complemented by several fabric insertions representing giraffes and a parrot. My mother had made me a dress from that very fabric, and I decided to use the leftovers so as to cherish those memories.

Starfall

This painting is a compilation of my impressions of the flora and fauna of the park located on Yelagin Island, where I walk almost every day. And the squirrels are made of colored paper paying homage to Henri Matisse's late creativity.

Self-Portrait

I have made this particular painting for my parents. In some sense, this is a self-portrait, the idea being that my name is "Anna," and "pansy" in Russian means "Anna's eyes."

Golden Autumn

It seems to me that autumn is the most wonderful time of the year. And this acrylic painting, complemented by gold leaf insertions, represents my impression of the Fall.

Under the Constellation of Lepus

This painting represents my inner world; that is to say, on the left one may see the zodiac signs of Aries (me) and Scorpio (my mother), while on the right there are Libra (my husband) and Capricorn (my father). And in the upper left corner there is Lepus (meaning "hare") since Hare is my "alter ego," metaphorically speaking.

Squirrel in the Snow

This painting, depicting a winter landscape with a squirrel, alludes not only to Vassily Kandinsky's masterpiece with the same title but also to Huichol yarn paintings.

Peace

The painting below expresses my longing for World Peace. At first it was painted with a knife, but later I decided to paint over an old painting using brighter and more cheerful colors. And yet, the previous version of the painting is still visible, adding new meaning to the matter, namely that there are always two sides of the coin, and suffering and happiness are inseparable.

Cat in a Square

This work was created for the exhibition organized by the Hermitage Museum dedicated to the cats living in its basements. It is a mixture of different styles—Malevich's "Black Square," Kandinsky's "Composition VI," Raphael's Loggias, a fly from Cima da Conegliano's "Annunciation," and Picasso's "Dove of Peace."

Golden Hare and a Mouse

The painting below, made of gold leaf, is a homage to Gustav Klimt's creativity. As for the subject of the work, a hare is my "alter ego," and a mouse symbolizes those mice that I have been seeing lately at the park.

Summer Night in Turkey

The painting represents represents the beauty of the Turkish Nature.

Egyptian Memory

This painting was inspired by Egyptian culture, in particular, by the Karnak Temple located in Upper Egypt. On the upper left there is my name "Anna," written in Egyptian hieroglyphs (the letter "a" is represented by a vulture, and the letter "n" is represented by "water waves"). Below there is a hare with a little stroke, meaning that this is a pictogram. On the upper right there are hieroglyphs symbolizing eternal life and stability. The eye blow means well-being, healing, and protection. The scarab is a symbol of resurrection. And we should not forget about the cat, too.

Arabian Sunrise

The painting depicts Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the World. Whereas in the foreground one can see a flamingo, for there are many of those wonderful creatures in the Dubai Safari Park.

Tunisian Blossom

The painting was inspired by Tunisia, especially by the beauty of Sidi Bou Said.

Woodpecker and Four Suns

This painting depicts a woodpecker I met in the forest. The "four Suns" represent the holes he had created.

Aegean Sea

This painting was inspired by the beauty of the Island of Kos.

Sunset at Halicarnassus

The painting below represents the City of Bodrum (Halicarnassus).

Starry Cat

The painting was inspired by a cat sleeping in one of the bookstores in Istanbul.

When Turkey Meets Egypt

This painting depicts a cat I saw in Istanbul (see the picture above) and decorative elements of various Egyptian temples (Dendera, Medinet Habu, Karnak).

Starry Christmas

The painting was inspired by one of the squirrels living on Yelagin Island. The stars were modelled on the ceiling décor of the Church of St. Panteleymon. The star on the right does not fall from the sky but rather takes to the sky, symbolising hope and inspiration.

Dawn at Abu Dhabi

The painting depicts a heron that I met at the Persian Gulf and a cat living in one of the parks there. The concept of the painting was inspired by Hayao Miyazaki's new anime called "The Boy and the Heron."

Cat and a Crimson Poppy

The painting was inspired by the beauty of the City of Side. In the background there is the Temple of Apollo, while in the foreground one can see a depiction of a cat that I met there, as well as a representation of a crimson poppy since there were plenty of them in the Old Town.