Roman Liapin is a contemporary artist with a strong personal style and respect for the classics at the same time. The protagonist of his monumental and expressive paintings is a city that lives its own life. While obeying the classical pictorial canons, Liapin generalizes classical landscape to an abstract improvisation of pictorial forms and textures, able to reveal romantic immediacy of prosaic urban environment. The lively and bustling city life seems to be observed “from above”, and is presented in a sharp contrast to cold infinity and heavenly incorporeity. It is not a landscape that he aims to create, but a "portrait" of the city, its unique character, personality, mood and atmosphere. 

In many ways, the artist’s style was formed during his studies in Italy, in the very "heart" of classical painting school. A graduate of the famous Mukhina Art Academy, Liapin took the opportunity to continue his education in the Fine Arts Academy in Rome (Accademia di Belle Art di Roma). Those fifteen years spent in Italy helped the artist to master his academic skills and to develop his talent of a draughtsman. 

Traditions of Russian realism that underlie Liapin’s artistic identity, have merged with courage and spontaneity of contemporary Italian art and brought up that virtuosity of using light and color that now reinforces emotional perception of his works. Thoughtful compositional solutions allow the viewer to see unexpected sides of ordinary landscapes. Ability to combine modern city life with its historical past, to reflect up-to-the-minute states and romantic presence – these are important aspects of Liapin’s works. 

Roman Liapin today is an acknowledged master, a member of St. Petersburg Union of Artists, a winner of 1st, 2nd, 3rd prizes of the regular Tuscany and Lazio (Italy) competitions, a nominee for Grand Prix in Landscape Competition in Archinatstso-Romano (1996), a participate of numerous exhibitions, and an author presented in private collections all over the world: Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Taiwan, Japan, America, Russia, etc. 

The exhibition at Erarta Museum under the support of Andrei Andreev Foundation will feature over 50 paintings and drawings. The exhibition will be inspiring for all connoisseurs of atmospheric and extraordinary urban landscapes.