SPRING EXHIBITION AT MoRA 2019
SPRING EXHIBITION AT MoRA 2019
March 30th – April 13th
Museum open: Saturday, Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm
OPENING RECEPTION WITH ARTISTS
Saturday, March 30th 6PM – 10PM
EVENING OF LIVE JAZZ
Saturday, April 6th 6PM – 10PM
Recomended admission $10
CLOSING PARTY
Saturday, April 13th 6PM – 10PM
Live Music, Open Wine Bar, H’orderves will be served
For more information contact:
Boris Belenky, MoRA Director:
917-921-1003
PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:
Anna Drik
Vitaly Gonikman
Grigory Gurevich
Lenny Khimishman
Yulia Klimashevska
Evgenia Klimenko
Irene Koval
Zorina Kunkina
Katsiaryna Pratasenia
Katsiaryna Pratasenia
Emil Silberman
Yefim Zhelezov
Boris Zherdin
EAST GALLERY:
THE PORCELAIN ART OF LARISA GRIGORIEVA
The Lomonosov Porcelain Factory 1945 – 1987
LARISA GRIGORIEVA
was born inn 1920. She began her career at the Lomonosov porcelain factory in 1945 as a copyist. Nikolai Suetin, the main artist at the factory, quickly noticed her and began to help her develop her abilities and a rich imagination. Under the guidance of Suetin, she began to paint animal figures, vases, sets, etc. In 1950, she was promoted to the position of painter. She later became one of the factory’s most prominent painters and won the bronze medal for decorative art at the 1958 international exhibit in Brussels. Larisa became a member of the Russian Art League in 1961. She created more than 300 designs and her work was exhibited internationally. Today, her work is exhibited throughout Russia, including The State Hermitage Museum.
This is an exhibit consisting mostly of original plates ranging in size between 5″ and 18″ created between 1950 and 1990. There will also be displayed 9 sets of mass produced factory pieces based on her design. Historical photos will also be displayed.
ANNA DRIK
Anna Makedonskaya-Drik was born in Dnepr, Ukraine. Her family immigrated to the U.S. in the late 90’s., settling in NY.
Anna is a mathematician by profession, but from early childhood, had a strong desire to draw.
Graphics, minimalist style and book illustration are the favorites. She spent 14 years dancing and lifelong passion for ballet is recognizable in her art.
Anna is using Indian ink on cold press paper and sometime acrylic and watercolors as a color accent in her art works.
VITALY GONIKMAN
I was born and raised in a beautiful old city Odessa in Ukraine.Odessa was my early inspiration for black and white cityscape drawings.Now I live in the beautiful city of New York that is spiritually so close to Odessa.Throughout my life I was trying to establish my own style, style that will express my inner world and artistic preferences. When I started to create surrealistic black and white drawings I felt ‘this is it’….I have found it and I named my style “Conceptual Surrealism”. My main intent is to embed a deep meaning in each image but leave plenty of room for the viewer’s imagination.My favorite media is ink and pen but I’m gladly using oil paints, watercolors, pencils, and I love photography.
GRIGORY GUREVICH
Sculptor, painter, photographer, graphic artist, printmaker, art book creator, and inventor – has had more than four hundred exhibitions in the United States and Europe and conducted hundreds of sculpture workshops in Italy, Denmark, Russia and the United States. His paintings, drawings, and sculptures have won numerous awards and are in public and private collections in Russia, Switzerland, France, Croatia, Germany, Slovakia and the United States.
He has had his solo shows in Savitsky Museum in Penza city in Russia in July 2010 and August 2012 and many shows in the Museum of Russian Art in the United States.
He received a master’s degree in art from Academy of Fine and Industrial Arts in Leningrad, Russia and was a professor at St. John’s University, New York, and a faculty member of Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts.
His bronze tableau of seven life-size figures entitled “The Commuters”, sculpted in 1985, is permanently installed in Newark Penn Station. His bronze bust of Japanese-American Inventor Kazuo Hashimoto is installed in NJIT, Newark, NJ. His book “Reflections” features seventeen linocuts, etchings, and mixed media prints has been included in the print collection of New York Public Library as well as the rare book collection of Newark Museum Library, Library of Saint Bonaventure University, and Print Collection of HERMITAGE MUSEUM in Leningrad, Russia.
His work won many awards and honorable mentions. His biography was published in “Who is Who in American Art”, “WIKIPEDIA” and many magazines and newspapers and was shown on television shows in different European countries.. His sculpture “CLOWN” was exhibited in Russian State museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. Four of his Art books are accepted to a Library of Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
LENNY KHIMISHMAN
Drawing was undoubtedly his passion from the young years. After graduating a four-year college with the degree in graphic art and technical drawing, Lenny worked for the graphic art firm and soon became a bright young member of the vibrant Moscow Artistic Community. Membership brought Lenny great visibility, and not long after he featured his works on the famous Arbat Street, in the heart of Moscow historic district.
Despite his success, Lenny, like so many artists of the day, felt limited and thirsty for creative freedom and soon left Russia for Austria in the 80. After living in several European countries, the long and winding road brought him to America, and he now lives with his family around the New York City area.
He worked as a graphic artist in several small art companies around Brooklyn and Manhattan, and for the last 25 years he has been working for the International Publishing Company, where he is developing the digital photography, production art and magical world of color.
His everyday work for well known international magazines certainly keeps him busy, yet he still finds time and inspiration to create and share his intimate vision with others, revisiting that passionate young boy inside.
YULIA KLIMASHEVSKA
Graduate from State University of Irkutsk, Russia with a major in Journalism. For twenty years she worked in Russian newspapers, magazines, and radio as a journalist and chief editor. After moving to NYC she has worked as a reporter, copywriter, and also studied social work at the University of Albany, NY.
That’s how she formulates her artistic credo: “When I paint, I see the world around me being made of magical yet natural phenomena. Characters and objects in my paintings rest in what is. In spite of that viewers can see my images reflect in their own perception. I am inspired by my friends, Buddhism, cubists, impressionists, surrealism, abstract art, jazz, interior design, my husband, love”.
In the beginning, as a watercolor artist, Yulia had graphical manner of painting with intensive color expression. Now the artist uses mixed media techniques: acrylic with pastel on canvas, layering, collage, texturizing, and appliqué. Painter’s artwork was exhibited in the group and solo art shows in her home town of Irkutsk, she has drawn murals for private clients and has a good experience as a storefront designer.
Yulia’s Artwork is available as originals and with a flexible range of sizes as giclée on canvas or prints on archival quality paper which will last without change a good hundred years.
https:// kolibri1968.myportfolio.comEVGENIA KLIMENKO
Born into a multi-generational family of artists, Evgenia Klimenko resides in Odessa, which marks a source of inspiration for all her work.
The artistic identity is embedded in the city’s unique cultural heritage and position straddling Russian and Ukrainian history.
She is a hunter on many levels, whether seeking the proper texture of a surface for her emerging pastels or catching a whimsical “cinematic” glimpse of street life in her beloved Odessa.
To get this organic sense of the passing moment, Evgenia would experiment with combinations of different painting techniques and search for the relevant basis for her pastels, oil brushstrokes, or ink touches.
The colorful accent in her Red series and the breath of wind in her sketchy Odessa street views all remind us of continuous “unfinished objects”, distorted by the fragility of life.
IRENE KOVAL
Irene Koval, Ukrainian artist originally from Odessa, was raised in a family of carnies (father was an engineer and performer for the circus and mother was a skilled acrobat) Irene worked in the circus as a child, performing acrobatic acts. Her childhood was as unusual as it was difficult, always moving to new places all over Russia as a part of the soviet circus lifestyle.
After graduating from circus institute and officially becoming a part of the soviet circus, Irene found herself greatly stimulated by her creativity.
At this time, she was collecting a diversity of skill and technique from the various art classes she was attending in different parts of the Former Soviet Union as she was traveling all over the country with her circus.
Irene had a strong passion for the fine arts and theater. From 1983 to 1987 she attended the State Art Theatrical College in Odessa and became a property master puppeteer and art sculpture doll designer. After graduation, she was participating in numerous fine art exhibitions in Ukraine and Russia. In 1989 she fled the political oppression of her home country by immigrating to the United States and settling in New York to continue her pursuit of a career in art. In 1994 Irene graduated from Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) as a textile and surface designer. She worked for different design studios but her love of the fine arts and theater never died.
Irene has been painting, constructing Dolls, and even assembling jewelry all her life. Her style and technique has transformed over the years but Irene always finds that most of all, her art is influenced by her experience as a circus performer.
www.saatchiart.com/irenekovalZORINA KUNKINA
Zorina Kunkina was born in Kiev, Ukraine, where she lived with her husband and daughter. Her studio is located in a second-story warehouse space near her home.
Zorina is a Soviet trained contemporary phenomenon. Scouted at the age of five as a child prodigy, Zorina attended the National School of Fine Arts: received her Master’s Degree from the State University of Fine Arts and her Ph.D. from the State Academy of Fine Art, all in Kiev, Ukraine. Her illustrations were published in Ukrainian Publishing Companies.
Her award-winning work has gained widespread recognition and is held in museum and private collections worldwide. She has had exhibitions of her artwork in Kiev, Lvov and Philadelphia area; and her works are currently part of many corporate and private collections, including Ukrainian Museum of Art. She creates a serene dream-like atmosphere where quiet magical things happen.
“Today, for me, life and painting are one. Woman and man, flowers are subjects of importance. Women, the symbol of love, have great importance in my art. In life there are some things that last forever: in my work, I communicate this with people, the sky and plans.””
Zorina’s distinctive use of color and form is derived partly from Russian expressionism. Her works combine recollection with folklore and fantasy (relationship man and woman, flowers on the silk textile, still life). Every her picture has her personalities and special vision of abstract art, where background is comprehensive education.
The many hours of work and refinement that go into the final product speak of her multiplicity of talents.
She is a poet, and her artistic visions can be considered “poetry in colors and shapes.”
www.artbyzorina.comKatePicture KATSIARYNA PRATASENIA
Born in the Republic of Belarus in 1987, her father was a schoolteacher and her mother was a nurse. Kate grew up in a full-fledged family.
‘Art lessons’ at school was always her favorite subject. At the age of eight she became the winner of the Republican contest of children’s drawings. She graduated from art school, and then from University, with specialty in fashion designing, more specifically designer shoes.
Art-drawing and painting, has always been a hobby and passion for Kate. That passion, more recently, was fueled after attending a session on art therapy in 2018 in Miami. Since then, painting has become a significant and creative part of her life.
“Drawing a picture, and painting, is a time of spiritual discovery, a time of communication with one’s inner world. Every stroke, every line, every color, is the transfer of energy, thoughts, emotions and mental state of mind.”
The first participation of KatePictures in an exhibition was in October 2018 in Manhattan, New York. Also, her paintings adorn the CIRC hotel in Miami.
www.katepictures.comEMIL SILBERMAN
When I enter my studio, I enter a different world of subconscious feelings, new forms and emotions that cannot be expressed in any other way. Capturing this reality is my challenge as an artist.
I grew up in Latvia during the Soviet era. I always knew that I was born to be an artist but by a strange turn of fate, I also became a physician. I chose Emergency Medicine as my specialty and have been working in a busy inner city ER for many years. For a long time I kept the two worlds separated. Then one day I realized that I was streaming ideas from my medical work into my art and the two worlds started to came together. The drama and intensity of emotions in the ER are probably unmatched in any other work environment.
The medical literature reports that a large proportion of ED visits are behavioral and psychiatric in nature. Such patients are most interesting to an artist interested in exploring the human condition and psyche. The facial expressions and forms of the human body distorted by pain and disease provide me with an endless source of ideas and inspiration.
For many years I would not disclose my unique situation out of fear that it would distort the viewer’s perspective, but I now realize that it is hard to understand my art without it. On reflection I also see that my subject matter has shifted over the years from pain and death to satire, social commentary and other less lighter themes. I tend to use my art to express the many ironies of life.
My attitude may sometimes even be interpreted as facetious. I can use my artwork to make light of some very serious issues in society, as I see it today. This satirical style allows me to express my frustrations with society in a humorous manner.
www.expressionistsculpture.comYEFIM ZHELEZOV
Yefim Zhelezov was born in Leningrad, Russia, in 1948. His love for art started early and in 1962 he was awarded with the First Prize at the International Exhibition in Karachi, Pakistan.
Received Master Degree and worked as an architectural designer for 14 years. Also Yefim worked as a graphic artist and took advanced oil painting lessons for two years from the art studio.
He was involved in the art movement «Comradeship of Experimental Art” at the beginning of 80th.
Living in the USA since 1989 he has been working as an artist and designer in Boston.
He started to participate in different juried art shows across the US since 1992, predominantly in pastel painting and received numerous awards.
He was a participant of Art Shows as a member of Cambridge Art Association since 2005.
His works includes portraits, figurative compositions, still lives, and architectural and graphic design.
Two years ago he got involved in scratchboard graphic. Current exhibition shows his works in this unique media.
BORIS ZHERDIN
Родился в 1950 году в Гомеле, Беларусь. Мать еврейская учительница русского языка и литературы. Отец известный Французский артист. По окончанию школы поступил в Леннградское Художественное Училище имени Серова на театралъное отделение. Служил на Черноморском флоте. По окончании службы, работал декоратором в Ленинградском Театре имени Ленинского Комсомола. Жена Татьяна Жердина, дочь Наталья.
Иммигрировал с семьей в США в 1988. Работал иллюстратором в New York Times, Playboy. Brooklyn Bridge Magazine и других. Сотрудничал с галереями Agora NYC, Art Forms NJ, выставлялся Bronx Museum, Monmouth College. Работы находятся в частных коллекциях: Б. Ротшильда, Б. Паланта, В. Ярмолинца, Ф. Дубински, И. Коваля, А. Таран, Л. Самаров, М. Копелев, Л. Норейка, С. Питраускас, В. Баублис и др.
Работал на русском радио, газетах и телевидении.
Автор бестселлера ”Ничего Кроме Правды” и двух популярных музыкальных альбомов в настоящее время живет в Леонардо, Нью Джерси, работает в Stillstran Industries inc.