Искусство Евразии (Jun 2021)
Artist Maria Maslennikova: the poetry of the Karelian isthmus and Himalayas in pastel
Abstract
The purpose of the article is to identify the ideological and stylistic features of the work of the modern Russian artist Maria A. Maslennikova, who continues the best traditions of Russian culture, especially the art of St. Petersburg. Until now, not a single article has been devoted to the talented representative of artistic creativity, working in the pastel technique. But the master takes an active part in various exhibitions in Russia and abroad. The totality of Maslennikova's artworks is a significant example of contemporary fine art. The artist's graphic sheets embody important topical searches of contemporary art: the original author's development of the landscape genre, Russian-Finnish interaction in the field of art, the specifics of the perception of northern nature, the continuation of the traditions of the Leningrad landscape. The realistic method closest to the artist proves its relevance in her works and demonstrates the limitless possibilities that allow it to solve a variety of artistic tasks. The artist's work fully manifested the so urgent nowadays “ecological consciousness”, calling for the preservation of natural wealth, the growth of ecological culture. Reproductions of the master's paintings are published here for the first time. The statements of Maria Maslennikova, who has an undoubted literary talent, about herself, her work, and their origins, are very valuable. Along with pastels, she uses oil, acrylic, gouache, and acrylic tempera. Attention is drawn to the originality of the painting technique, most often used by the master — working with very soft dry pastels on pastel or primed paper. The pastel landscape, representing the quivering, austere or monumental image of the nature of the Karelian Isthmus, is the most widespread in the work of the master. The landscape of the Himalayas also occupies a large place in her work. The artist makes her unique contribution to the artistic and aesthetic comprehension of the Himalayas and Eastern culture. The unrecognizability of nature by man, the need to search for their harmonious coexistence is the main pathos of the master's work, the identification of which is aimed at the entire complex of meaningful and artistic means of her works, which is consistently considered in this article.
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