Two fine artists, the sculptor Valeri Yepikhin and the painter Vladimir Pankratov. Yepikhin's work, mainly in wood, is remarkable for its wit and humour. The paintings of Vladimir Pankratov, both figurative and abstract, all have something dreamlike about them. As art historian Alla Burova has written, they remind us that behind everything visible there is something mysterious.
Our October exhibition (10 Oct - 7 Nov) at Ikra will feature two fine artists, the sculptor Valeri Yepikhin and the painter Vladimir Pankratov. Yepikhin's work,
mainly in wood, is remarkable for its wit and humour. Look, for example, at the attached image of his piece Fish Boys, sculpted in 2000, which will be included in
our October show.
Yepikhin, born in 1950, spent ten years studying art at different universities and was a pupil of the famous sculptor A. S. Kondratiev. Later he himself became a
teacher at the Moscow College of Fine Art. His technique is strongly influenced by traditional Russian religious icons, though his themes are not religious. His icons
portray such figures as a shepherd or a woman hanging clothes.
His sculptures can be seen in some of Russia's best known museums, including the Tretyakovskaya Gallery in Moscow and the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.
Last year he received the Moscow Union of Sculptors award for his creative achievements.
PANKRATOV IN DREAMLAND
The paintings of Vladimir Pankratov, both figurative and abstract, all have something dreamlike about them. As art historian Alla Burova has written, they remind us
that behind everything visible there is something mysterious.
The style exhibited in the current show can be dated back to as early as 1980. He describes his subject matter by constructing them with concrete and confident
geometric forms, particularly the quadrangles.
Born in 1942, Pankratov received a technical education before switching to fine art. He graduated from the Stroganov Art College in Moscow at the age of 28 but
soon afterwards fell foul of Soviet officialdom because of his unorthodox style. Playing drums in a jazz band did not help. His work was never publicly exhibited until
1990.
Ikra Gallery, 21 Shepherd Market, London W1J 7PN. Tel: 020 7493 9558