L.P. Cline Gallery News & Events
Learn more about the amazing world of Russian Art.
The following is taken from the 2001 Moscow Painting Exhibition Catalog by the President of the Russian Academy of Arts, Zurab Tzereteli. Artists represented in the catalog include Efrem Zverkov, Alexander Mitchry, and Ivan Sorokin...
The end of the millennium can be characterized as a parade of great number of different artistic methods and techniques that have been deeply integrated into consciousness.
Nowadays it is not so easy to be an artist who has conserved his own individuality and his beliefs. You have to feel enough strength for that. It is a very complicated task to preserve the one most important thing in you mind. As Nikolay Gay said, the Art as itself contents is what you really need more than something else, what is the most sacred thing for your soul. This one sacred thing will enlighten you with the character of an image as well as the form of this image. This thing will make you study that form or the other... it is known that landscape painting is one of the most complicated genres of painting because of the wide spectrum of emotions. In landscape painting the individuality of the artist is reflected brighter than anywhere else. There is something strong that unites the artists: the search for the ideal of the moral purity and tactile beauty is a trivial world and iimperceptible and habitual motives. This ideal testifies the harmony of both worlds, world of nature and the soul of human being.
This next piece is courtesy of Kyria Johnson of Covenant College, Cultural Heritage of the West, Art & Music, Art Report...
My friend and I stumbled upon the L.P. Cline Gallery while we were actually on our way to a different art gallery. I noticed a sign in the window advertising art that shows "The Faces of Russia." Both my friend and I are interested in history and other cultures so we thought it looked rather intriguing.
I did not regret our decision to visit the L.P. Cline gallery, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Most of the art on display was from the same historical time period.
The majority of works were paintings by Russian artists depicting life during the Soviet era, although there were also a few depicting contemporary Russia that used a style compatible with the older art. Of the specifically Soviet paintings, the dates spanned from the 1930's to the 1970's. The gallery's collection included landscapes, still lifes, and portraits. The style in the paintings varied somewhat, but the one thing they all had in common was the prominence of color. Very vibrant colors were used in a number of the works, and these were the ones that caught my eye as soon as I walked in. When I think of Russia, I imagine it as cold and grey, but the Russia depicted in the paintings was full of life and color.
Dianne explained the historical and social background of art in the Soviet era. One thing I found particularly fascinating was that several of the paintings were propaganda art, meant to depict the Russian worker as happy, well-fed, and "larger than life". Understanding the social and historical context of such paintings helped me better appreciate them, and I was grateful for the information provide by Dianne.
Of what Dianne explained about Russian art, what probably struck me most was the sacrifice the artists made to pursue their dreams and produce their art. Their work lives on as a testimony to their passion for their dreams and their art in the midst of opposition and as a testimony to the resolve of the Russian people to survive and endure despite their difficult circumstances. Their passion and resolve emanate from every work of art and make a trip to L.P. Cline Art Gallery quiet worthwhile.
Also from Covenant College, Cultural Heritage of the West, Art Report, Katie Myers writes about her visit to the L.P. Cline Gallery...
On Monday, November 20, 2006, I had the privilege of visiting L.P. Cline Gallery exhibit entitled "The Faces of Russia." Dianne, who had actually closed her store for the day, graciously came to the door and let us walk around the exhibit while she explained the different stories behind each piece and artist. I was so fascinated by the history of the artwork that we saw in "The Faces of Russia" exhibit, because the artwork was from the Soviet period of Russia at a time when the government controlled all the artwork.
I was also struck by the dedication and love these painters had for their work. Dianne explained to us how most of these artists would live in poverty using all of their time and money to make more art. And these painters loved their work so much that they would not sell it unless they absolutely needed the money. Hearing this really challenged me and made me wonder if I have that kind of love for the things that I do.
These artists had a love for their work that make them paint even when they were in the midst of poverty and on the brink of starvation and while they were living, many were never recognized for the work they did.
My favorite piece in that shop was by the Russian painter Krivoruchko who lived from 1919 into the 1980's. This painting, done later in life, was called "Century and Eternity" and was an oil painting on board of a cemetery with a chapel building in the background. I especially loved the dark colors in this painting because Krivoruchko used blues and greens and purples to not only give the painting a nighttime feel, but also to develop a somber tone. This painting also stood out to me because Krivoruchko outlined his chapel and gravestones with large brush strokes of white paint.
Another one of my favorite pieces was a painting of two ballerinas by Nadia Kozinina. Dianne explained that it is a painting of the Ballet "Gizelle" and I loved this painting because of the motion that was captured and the color that was used. The two girls in the painting were both standing on one foot and their bodies were outstretched and balancing symmetrically on the stage. I was amazed at how Kozinina was able to capture the suspension of motion because had these two girls come to life, they could have only remained in this position for a couple of seconds before putting both feet on the ground again. She also used shade to color the background and the floor and she went from dark purple to lighter shades until the color was almost pink at the top. I loved the masterful use of color and shade as well as the suspension in motion captured by this beautiful painting.
I loved visiting L.P. Cline Gallery's "The Faces of Russia" exhibit. Looking at all the different art in the Russian exhibit made me want to understand the history of Soviet Russia and the lives these painters lived. I was challenged by their dedication to their artwork and I would definitely recommend this exhibit, "The Faces of Russia" to anyone who wants to see good artwork that is both rich in beauty and history.
