Vladimir Semenskiy
Vladimir Semenskiy was born in 1968 in Imantau village, Kazakhstan. In 19991, he graduated from art school, Krasnoturyinsk, Russia. He has studied in Academy of Arts by Ilia Repin in St. Petersburg.
The language of Vladimir Semenskiy’s paintings just formally resembles traditional expressionism. Blurred images on canvas resemble the contours of real objects, but are devoid of the usual outlines and are approaching not only abstraction, or lyric sketches in the spirit of the early Alexander Labas. For the basis of each image Semensky takes things from the outside world, but transfers them conditionally. His art is not about naturalism, the artist lets the paints flow freely on the canvas and solidify in those forms that literally did not touch the painter’s brush.
In his series of works, “Practices of Contemplation”, Vladimir Semenskiy works almost on the edge of figurative and abstract painting. Starting from the specific objects of the outside world, the artist transfers their images to the thin fabric of the canvas, allowing the paints to spread and fill the necessary space. Materiality disappears, there is no need to “guess” the content, the aspect of abstract perception comes to the fore. Figurativeness becomes only a subtle hint, appealing to the inner mood of each viewer. Just as the artist deliberately “discards” the challenge of copying the surrounding reality, we should also give preference to our feelings, not to intelligence. The works of Vladimir Semenskiy do not put the viewer in an awkward position, forcing him to unravel and learn their secret meaning, they only offer to observe and enjoy the contemplation, without being distracted by the restless shell of the outside world.
As Semenskiy himself says: “Painting is not just a material. Painting is an immersion in the process itself. And it is impossible to control it. Either there is an author and his work, or there is a process in which the author himself is absent, no matter how paradoxical it may sound. There is the process itself and nothing else. It is very difficult to put an idea there. Because if you try to do it, it immediately begins to prevent you being in this process.”
Vladimir Semenskiy lives and works in Moscow and Sevastopol.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2022
Picture instead of Title. 11.12 GALLERY, Moscow
Such a New Game. Abrau-Durso Gallery, Abrau-Durso
2021
Anything Is Nothing. 11.12 GALLERY, Moscow
2020
Illustrations of Positions. Art-Boulevard, Yalta
2019
Practice of Contemplation. 11.12 GALLERY, Moscow
2017
Entry Point. 11.12 GALLERY, Moscow
2016
Ensemble of Spontaneous States. 11.12 GALLERY, Moscow
2014
Terminal. Krokin Gallery, Moscow
Terminal. The Sevastopol Art Museum Named After M. P. Kroshitskiy, Sevastopol
2013
Equipped Play Landscapes. Mironova Gallery, Kiev
Shells. 11.12 GALLERY, Moscow
2012
Shore. Krokin Gallery, Moscow
Litoralis. 11.12 GALLERY, Moscow
2011
Private Space. Krokin Gallery, Moscow
Monochrome. 11.12 GALLERY, Moscow
Labirinth. Metropol Gallery, Moscow
2010
Relevance of Antiquity. Museum of Contemporary Art Erarta, Moscow
Kindergarden. Krokin Gallery, Moscow
2008
Confrontation. А & G Gallery, Moscow
2007
Stairs. А & G Gallery, Moscow
Selected Group exhibitions
2021
Out of the Capital’s Borders. Miras Gallery, Ufa
2018
Actual Russia: Playing Classics. The Saratov Art Museum named after A.N. Radischev, Saratov
2017
Actual Russia: Playing Classics. The Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied and Folk Art, Moscow
2016
Actual Russia: Living Environment. The State Museum of Contemporary History of Russia, Moscow
Are You Going to Vacation? Agency. Art Ru, Moscow
Moscow and Its Citizens in Art of XX-XXI centuries. Museum of Moscow, Moscow
2015
Portrait Now! The Museum of National History in Frederiksborg Slot, Hillerød
2014
Christmas Exhibition. Moscow Artists' Union, Moscow
2013
Mixed Media – 2. 11.12 GALLERY, Moscow
2012
From Moscow. The Central Universal Science Nekrasov Library, Moscow
Only Art. Krokin Gallery, Moscow
2011
Whales of the Season 7. Krokin Gallery, Moscow
2010
Whales of the Season 6. Krokin Gallery, Moscow
Selected Art Fairs
2022
Cosmoscow Contemporary Art Fair. Moscow
Art-Moscow Contemporary Art Fair. Moscow
2021
International Contemporary Art Russia Fair. Moscow
2020
International Contemporary Art Russia Fair. Moscow
2018
Russian Art & Antique Fair. Moscow
International Contemporary Art Fair Art Wynwood. Miami
2017
International Contemporary Art Fair Context Art Miami. Miami
Cosmoscow International Contemporary Art Fair. Moscow
International Contemporary Art Fair Art Wynwood. Miami
2016
International Contemporary Art Fair Context Art Miami. Miami
International Contemporary Art Fair Context Art New York. New York
2015
International Contemporary Art Fair Context Art Miami. Miami
International Contemporary Art Fair Art Miami New York. New York
2013
International Contemporary Art Fair VIENNAFAIR. Vienna
2011
IV Sevastopol Arts Festival “War and Peace”. Sevastopol
Charity Auction Phillips de Pury for Natalya Vodyanova's «Naked Hearts» Foundation. Moscow
International Contemporary Art Fair Art-Moskva. Moscow
2010
International Contemporary Art Fair Art-Moskva. Moscow
International Contemporary Art Fair Cosmoscow. Moscow
2007
International Specialized Exhibition Moscow Fashion Expo. Moscow
International Contemporary Art Fair Art-Manezh. Moscow