Alexander Shappo

Alexander: I am fond of the perception of a historical link of times. I know my family tree very well; I know where my great-great-grandfather lived and what he did to say nothing of great-grandfather. Therefore, when I am sitting under a century-old oak and acorns are falling on my knees, I suddenly have a feeling, that one hundred years ago they fell in the same way on the knees of my great-great-grandfather, and the sky was exactly the same. It is very exciting. In general, I think that my power lies in my roots, in my family, which is a spring of creative energy for me. We are all artists — my father, my brothers, my wife and our sister — she is a poet and a translator. This is our clan, which only becomes more powerful with the passing of time.

Kseniya: I immediately felt this life power and creative energy, when I entered the family. It is great and it is real happiness to have such sincere spiritual unity. We are allies in our life, in our work. I always feel support not only of my husband, but also of the whole "clan".

In spite of unity of interests, mutual understanding in life and art, Alexander and Kseniya are not similar in creative work. Tasks, which they set for themselves, are different. Reserved and self-absorbed Kseniya in her sculptural compositions is aimed at interpreting themes, which are traditional for art, — harmony and beauty of life, person, human feelings and emotions. She is fond of images-symbols, purified from everyday life. Her chamber sculptures ("Fertility", 2012; "Venice", 2014; "St George", 2015) are characterized by metaphorical nature of figurative language, expressiveness of plastic volumes and their interrelations, grace of silhouettes. Of all sculptural materials she prefers bronze, which lets her achieve the necessary detailed elaboration and light and shadow modelling of forms. Kseniya’s sculptural compositions are always dynamic. Even complete rest in her works is perceived as an internal movement, as a state extended in time rather than in space.

Alexander’s sculptures are closely connected with the facts of life surrounding the artist, are based on bright impressions and feelings born in the process of interaction with the world. "I don’t invent, don’t make up anything — I take everything from life, — says the artist; - but it’s not only my life, going on right here, right now. It’s also the life of my close and distant ancestors". Nevertheless, Alexander is neither a portrayer of ordinary life nor a historian, though elements of lyrical narration and deep interest in the past are characteristic of his art. He has a sharp eye, noticing everything; he looks at his heroes with a sense of humour. People, — men and women, dogs, cats, all other living creatures and even everyday objects, coming in his sight, assume special plastic distinctness and almost ironical expressiveness, their postures convey the moment of movement, dynamics of its development. The artist wants to reveal a universal existential meaning in certain everyday events or plots; he also knows how to show a generalized character or type in each particular human image.

Alexander’s art develops in the space of the Modernist tradition. For him the heritage of Wilhelm Lehmbruck and Egon Schiele (it's also appropriate to mention the art of Alberto Giacometti) is not forgotten pages of the art history. The artist has learnt skilfully and emotionally the up-to-date lessons of the great masters. Alexander likes to work with bronze, allowing him to achieve a free almost impressionist modelling of forms. Vibrant, expressive plastic art, play of light and shadow on the surface of bronze add internal dynamics and life energy to the artist’s works. A deliberate distortion of a plastic form, an expressive almost grotesque sharpness of silhouettes are distinctive features of his individual style. ("Casanova", 2011; "Angel", 2012; "Pan", 2012).м; 2012

Wooden works are performed in a different plastic manner. The form becomes more generalized, assumes monumental nature and fluency of line. These works demonstrate the artist’s interest in the theme of infinite being, composed of separate human lives — small parts of the bottomless universe, disappearing and reappearing in its space. The artist appeals to the "non-finito" concept — the idea of incompleteness of a plastic form. These so to say "found" artefacts of the former times activate the viewer’s fantasy, invite to discover a secret of a human face, figure, life ("Veins. Hands", 2002; "Golgotha", 2005).

Graphic art occupies a special place in Alexander’s creative work. The artist says that graphic art allows him to express emotions, to use literary plots better than sculpture. He prefers coloured lithography, a different creative space with its specific features as compared to sculpture. It is illusive and conditional, providing the artist with additional possibilities in work with a line on the surface, in the use of subtle light and shadow and colour nuances, in expressive decorative nature of figurative language. Alexander’s graphic works are mainly concentrated on the themes of love, life and death, passion. His female images are explicitly erotic and provocative or expressive, or melancholic. Sensuality and sexuality as the embodiment of life and death are certainly a tribute to the memory of Egon Schiele, a classic of the Modernist epoch. Though unlike the neurotic curvedness of lines and all-consuming despair of Schiele, the dramatic images and suffering expression of Alexander Shappo are balanced by the stoic wise perception of life tragedy and inexhaustible love to the woman ("A brotherhood kiss", "Joan of Arc", "Venus", "Tender is the night").