Pavel Belyaev was first intrigued by the artistic properties of nature at an early age. He recalls a memory at the age of six in which the discovery of a particular blue-colored river mud deeply impressed him. According to the artist, it is after that moment that he started to “see” color.
Belyaev is inspired by the impressions he sees in nature and expresses his insight through a variety of organic shapes and muted earth tone colors. The artist draws out elegant forms through his focus on one simple detail and a careful choice of color. His motif of contours and figures as well as an inverted linear perspective creates an affinity with the traditions of iconic Russian painting. When the artist paints on canvas or fiberboard, he rubs paint into the surface, revealing the material’s grainy texture. He then outlines the drawing with a dry brush or a brush handle. The sgraffito technique he uses reveals the deep layer of each painting. The works are a celebration of silence.
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