The Nef gallery unites the artists who are obviously trying to avoid radicalism in art. And the recently-opened exhibition by Alexei Andreyev proves this.
Andreyev is an artist who has strong, though subconscious, religious sentiments. All his works are poetic reflections of icons and old Russian frescos. He is an artist who knows what beauty is and how to make it serve deep philosophy.
Some pictures, despite their seeming glossiness, have distinctly exciting and disturbing properties that stops a viewer in his tracks. The viewer stands still, simultaneously looking at the picture and into himself.
Andreyev sees the world as a synthesis of illusions. Even beauty may just be an illusion for him. The artist builds enigmatic compositions, trying to understand the mechanism and material essence of imagery. His canvasses are full of religious scenes, like "Samson," "Angel of Apocalipses" and "Fatality" - all of which convince the that man is not free. Like Judas before him, the human being is doomed to follow someone's plot - be it God's or Satan's.
While a student. Andreyev traveled through Russia to get acquainted with the paintings in the old churches. The ancient icon painters planted contradictory, mutually-exclusive feelings into Andreyev.
His "Submerge Into Subconscious's" is an attempt to bridge the gap between the dark realm of the soul and the real world. The artist follows his psyche,, painting inexplicable images. Only alter lie has' finished a painting and some time has passed can the artist explain in which corners of his subconscious he found his subjects.
Among these subjects are court jesters. They live in canvasses. They are covered with snow. They dissolve in women. Their beady eyes drill the viewer. Andreyev worships these jesters.
His paintings strike the viewer like the last moment before a horrible disaster. The artist cannot or docs not want to explain in words whether it's a premonition or simply a feeling. He does not have to.
It's clear - the whole world is an illusion.
Alexander Liapin,
Kiev Post
