'PEACE and COLOUR' Gallery and Anna NAMIT are pleased to announce an exhibition of the new epoch of Russian contemporary figurative art at their Mayfair address on 13th and 14th of November 2007. The project entitled "Inhabited Islands" will represent to an audience of international and local London collectors and art connoisseurs the work of ten renowned Russian artists of the 1980s.

This unique exposition of ten Russian artists of the 1980s, titled by the conceptual name "X", will be presented abroad for the first time ever in London from the 12th  to 18th November at the Irina Emtseva 'Peace & Colour' Gallery. On November 14th press are invited to attend a 5 o'clock tea with the participation of the artists Ivan Lubennikov and Lev Tabenkin, the author of the project Anna Namit, the curator of "Inhabited Islands" at the State Tretyakov gallery Ludmila Marz at Brown's Hotel, Mayfair at 5PM. This will be followed by the official opening of the Gallery at 6PM.

The exhibiting artists began their work at the end of 1970s - beginning of 1980s and were destined at the time to become the next generation of vosmedisiatniki (1980s). However the "Perestroika" that followed and the ensuing unexpected collapse of the Soviet Union, and the downfall of the Union of USSR Artists had a radical effect on the life of Russian art. The disintegration of established standards and practices, a new permissive perception of freedom that suddenly caused the impossible to seem possible and the rejection of traditional values suddenly gave rise to a whole host of artistic and quasi-artistic initiatives.

It is no mean feat for anyone be they artists, art critics or art historians to understand what was happening to Russian art during the course of the last 20 years. It will take time to fully and impartially evaluate what exactly happened. However, it is quite clear even now that the art of the late 20th/early 21th century reflects the complex and controversial culture of the era in which it was born. Postmodernism in its various guises is the tip of an iceberg under which is concealed a profound talent pool of native culture and tradition in art.

The artists whose work is included in the exhibition "Inhabited Islands" are not unfamiliar to professionals and art lovers in Russia and abroad. However, it is for the first time that these artists who do not fall into the category of vosmedisiatniki (80s) have sought to collaborate together in such a significant way as this.

The exhibition presents the works of ten artists: painters Natalia Glebova, Nikolai Vatagin, Ekaterina Kornilova, Dmitry Krymov, Ivan Lubennikov, Lev Tabenkin and sculptors Mikhail Dronov, Valery Epikhin, Viktor Korneev, Elena Surovtseva. All are original and contemporary masters who have won international recognition. Their outstanding contributions are stylistically quite unlike one other, although they share at least their age in common, being born in the 1950s. Many key figures in Russian art, music and politics are the contemporary to vosmedisiatniki today - the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, is one of them. By understanding the heritage of the 1980's one can aspire to comprehending the roots and potential of Russian art and reality.

Of course, the ten masters figured here, outstanding as they are, are not the only representatives of the art of modern Russia. However, it is not by chance that these ten artists have come together with a common purpose. Although they make it a point not to be referred "a group", they are like-minded people who treat each other with deference and are united by a common passion - plastic school and professional craftsmanship.

"Each of us is an island which is imbued with a living consciousness, a living soul, a living experience, - says Ivan Lubennikov. - In the course of time we change: One thing, however, remains constant - the desire to hide in a refuge of one's own creativity, to remain there alone whilst acknowledging that we belong to the great, eternal world." Ten "islands" is a kind of "archipelago" which opposes humanity with the complete outrage of nihilism.

"1980s. RUSSIAN ART. The Best of "Inhabited Islands" the album will be presented during the opening of the "X" exhibition in London.

The project is supported by Aeroflot - Russian Airlines, Brown's Hotel, Mayfair, The Cognac House Hennessy, Rocco Forte Collection and Tridvornova Flower Design. For more details about "Inhabited Islands" please visit www.namit.ru, or contact anna@namit.ru, or call +7 (495) 136-0390, +44 788 176 2862.



Anna Namit, The author of the "Inhabited Islands" project:
This exhibition is necessary in order to restore historical justice. Russian cultural history of the second half of the 20th century saw the ?thaw? in the art of the 60s and the 70s. The terms ?shestidesiatniki? (artists of the sixties) and ?semidesiatniki' (artists of the seventies) imply concrete content as well as concrete names. The generation of 1980s went right after them. However, they happened to begin their creative activity in the fatal 80s - that witnessed  Gorbachev, Perestroika, the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the downfall of the Union of Soviet Artists: A period of wild instability suddenly set in when anything was ?permitted?. Many artists became disoriented - their reference points and individual tradition were dramatically lost. By the end of the century became a paradox apparent: those artists that had proclaimed themselves ?non-conformists?, adepts of ?other art?, became generally accepted, whereas those who pursued, like us, the policy of 'plastic art' proved to be ?non-conformist?. There were many people then who couldn't help feeling that art had come to a standstill. The death of painting was proclaimed once again. The art of the end of the 20th, beginning of the 21st portrays a kaleidoscope of culture. ?Conceptualism?, ?Actual Art? and other varieties of postmodernism that claim to be ?contemporary are but the tip of the iceberg. The purpose of the project ?Inhabited Islands? was to acquaint Russian art-lovers with contemporary and outstanding Russian painters and sculptors who keep true to the tradition of easel painting. The art of these ten well-known and highly respected (both in professional circles and among collectors and art lovers) contemporary Russian masters who became internationally recognised at the end of the 20th century, is, by no means, an exhaustive description of the of Russian artists of the 80s; however, it is representative enough. It provides a sum, the total from which art historians alike will draw their own conclusions.
Why ?Inhabited Islands?? This will become clear in the context of the exhibition and on reading the Album "1980s. RUSSIAN ART. The Best of the "Inhabited Islands".

Yuri Luzhkov, Mayor of Moscow, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Society of Friends of the State Tretyakov Gallery:
The opening of this exhibition dedicated to contemporary Russian artists retains and continues the traditions of the great Pavel Mikhailovitch Tretyakov, the honorary citizen of Moscow, who collected the Russian art. It is in my opinion, a truly memorable event. My very best wishes to the artists, managers and visitors of the exhibition!

Lord Poltimore, Chairman, SOTHEBY'S Russia:
For more than three decades, Russian contemporary art was a well kept secret from those of us who lived in the West. Sotheby's has always been interested in this market and was the first to hold an historic sale of contemporary art in Moscow in 1988. As times have changed and barriers have come down, we in the West have been lucky enough to see this talent emerge on the international market. In fact it was only very recently in February 2007 that Sotheby's in London had its first sale entirely devoted to Russian contemporary art which established 22 world record prices. "Inhabited Islands" looks at some of this immense talent, which carries on the great traditions of Russian art and yet absorbs the best of modern artistic trends. From whatever culture or walk of life we are from can all appreciate and enjoy this exhibition.

Valentin Rodionov, General Director of the State Tretyakov Gallery, Academician of Russian Academy of Arts:
"Inhabited Islands: Painting, Sculpture of the end of the 20th - beginning of the 21st Centuries"exhibition that was commissioned to mark the 150th anniversary of the State Tretyakov Gallery is, in my opinion, a truly remarkable event. Its participants represent the generation of the turn of the century, preserving the professional methods and giving voice to the artistic strivings and achievements of the past century. Progressing their talents in the turbulent 1980-1990s these artists have developed into first-rate masters in their own right. The participants of the exhibition are all outstanding individuals who are quite unlike each other stylistically. They work keenly, strikingly and realistically within the framework of easel painting and sculpture.

Yuri Fedotov, Ambassador of Russia to the Court of St. James's, Embassy of the Russian Federation in UK:
The publication of the new album "1980s. RUSSIAN ART. The Best of The "Inhabited Islands" offers a wide audience the opportunity to discover the works of the talented masters who have always enriched our mother Russia. I would like to mention in particular the fact that now is the time for the works of artists who have received wide acclaim in Russia to become accessible to all lovers of Russian art in the UK. I hope that this project will receive the success it deserves and will open to us all the real art of modern Russia.


Valery Okulov, General Director OJSC "AEROFLOT - Russian Airlines":
"Inhabited Islands" is not only the art project's title. It is, in my opinion, a poetic pattern of our great country with its immense space, variety of landscapes, nationalities, cultural traditions, and, what is more important - its one and united soul. Our company sees its major mission in reducing the distances, facilitating the elimination of communicational barriers between people and cultures, connecting the "inhabited islands". "Aeroflot" in a literal sense bears rich Russian art on its wings. It transports the invaluable masterpieces by air carefully and punctually, supporting the organisation of different art exhibitions in different corners of the world. Moreover, Aeroflot has also initiated a new tradition in our civic aviation: all new Aeroflot airplanes carry names of great Russians, including artists, writers, poets, and composers of the past. The "Inhabited Islands" help to present the great masters to the world who lived and performed during a critical time in Russia, and who stayed faithful to the ideals of humanism and to love of a human being that make the Russian culture closer to mankind at all times.

Morris Richard Hennessy, The Cognac House heir-at-law, Honorary President of Hennessy Socio-Cultural Fund:
On May 20, 2004, the Cognac House "Hennessy" officially announced the start-up of the Hennessy Socio-Cultural Fund in Russia. Music, Art, Photography, Cinema and other cultural spheres form the field of the Fund's interest. Ties of friendship unite the Cognac House "Hennessy" and Russia. These are being standing. This tradition is coetaneous with the first deliveries of our cognac to the Tsar's court in 1818. We were honored to host many talented people from Russia at our Bagnolet castle, Cognac. The Hennessy Socio-Cultural Fund enables such cultural exchanges, and the idea of supporting art I find particularly exciting. I am in love with Russia and constantly look forward to expanding our partnership within the framework of Fund's activities. By taking part in the organisation of exhibitions, The Hennessy Fund continues its noble tradition of supporting the initiatives of Art Institutes that represent the culture of Russia.

Vladimir Logvinenko, Art Collector:
It is pleasant to see that at this exhibition are presented only high quality, museum level works of art. Pieces of these painters and sculptors are worthily presented in the leading Russian and foreign museums as their creators are mature artists at the best of their ability. "People of 1980s" today is the most active generation. Their works of the end of XX - beginning of XXI century continue the best traditions of Russian realistic art and are still relevant in modern Russia today. The aim of Russian collectors, and foremost of Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov, was the support of artists and a collection of their art that bear evidence of those times. To continue this tradition today is our noble mission.



The exhibiting artists began their work at the end of 1970s - beginning of 1980s and were destined at the time to become the next generation of vosmedisiatniki (80s). However the "Perestroika" that followed and the ensuing unexpected collapse of the Soviet Union, and the downfall of the Union of USSR Artists had a radical effect on the life of Russian art. The disintegration of established standards and practices, a new permissive perception of freedom that suddenly caused the impossible to seem possible and the rejection of traditional values suddenly gave rise to a whole host of artistic and quasi-artistic initiatives. Underground art came emerged as the official art - and that was the end of it. The accusatory pathos of Soc-Art ran out (strangely enough, it is still alive - apparently to preserve the image of its authors); the Western Pop Art that seemed to be exhausted in the 80s quite unexpectedly reemerged at an exhibition in Moscow in 2005 as a new Russian modernistic trend. Postmodernism has flourished with its numerous conceptual branches. The intolerance and pretentiousness of the latest "actual" trends that have appropriated the exclusive right to be called "contemporary art," their intention to monopolise their concepts led to the paradox: those who called themselves "nonconformists", adepts of the "other art" turned out to become official artists. Later, came about the general notion that plastic art was over and done with.

The potential of the artists must be very high, otherwise they would have become "the lost generation" in those disturbed decades; they would have yielded to the "spirit of time"; they would have failed to stand up for the continuation of the traditions of national culture. Who were they in the 1980s? These artists went down in art "on the back" of thу "shestidesiatniki" (60s) and "semidesiatniki" (70s). In addition to that, nearly half of the participants of our exhibition are children of "shestidesiatniki" (60s), and their parents were their first teachers. What singled them out was the fundamental professional school, thorough knowledge of world culture, as well as the contemporary cultural life of Europe and America, early craftsmanship, artistry, richness of their metaphoric images and piercing apprehension of the coming of the end of the century. While there was confusion raging behind the studios' walls, these artists worked hard, participated in exhibitions and in various artistic symposiums, and exhibited their works abroad. Most importantly,
they never dreamed to leave Russia. For, as history of the 19th and 20th centuries proved, voluntary emigration inevitably cause an artist to lose touch with the cultural life of his country. Today the participants of this exhibition are an outstanding, universally recognised generation of leading contemporary Russian artists aged 50. Hopefully, the exhibition "Inhabited Islands" will reflect the self-determination of the whole cultural layer inherent to the end of 20th century.



Exposition "X" is a collection of the best masterpieces exhibited at the "Inhabited Islands" project that was organised for the 150th anniversary of the State Tretyakov Gallery and shown in Moscow in February 2006 with remarkable success. Like the exhibition 'Shestidesiatniki' (60s) in the 90s" held in the Tretyakov Gallery in 1993, the exhibition "Inhabited Islands" could rightly be called "'Vosmedisiatniki' (80s) in the 2000s." The only difference is that behind the terms of "shestidesiatniki" (60s) and later "semidesiatniki" (70s) there are concrete names and concrete content, whereas calling the artistic generation of the 1980s "vosmedisiatniki" (80s) is clearly to stretch a point. Therefore, the exhibition "Inhabited Islands" sums up 20 years' of their work.



Natalia Glebova. Born in Moscow in 1951. Graduated from the Surikov Moscow State Arts Institute (workshop of K.A. Tutevol) in 1980. Her works are represented in the State Tretyakov Gallery and other Russian museums and in some private collections in Russia, Germany, Italy, USA, Finland and France, etc.
The paintings of Natalia Glebova, just like the artist herself, are of a quality: the identity of spirit and soul, which are filled with attentive and grateful love towards everything that the artist sees, hears and feels. "For me, everything is beautiful: what I am myself, what is inside me and what surrounds me. I am filled with joy! Truly, every creature praises the Lord!". Her landscapes are images of the temple of nature, the world of family, the home, the garden, streets of her native city, moods, and recollections.

Mikhail Dronov. Born in Moscow in 1956. Graduated from the Surikov Moscow State Arts Institute (department of sculpture, workshop of Prof. M.F. Baburin) in 1980. Member of the Russian Arts Academy. His works are represented in the State Tretyakov Gallery in the Russian Museum, and in Russia and private collections, etc.
While he was still a child, Mikhail Dronov got his first serious notions about sculpting and sculpture from his parents, who were sculptors, and their friends, who were active members of the generation of artists of the sixties. The serious education that Dronov received from the Surikov Arts School and his in-depth familiarity with contemporary Western art led to the early development of his artistic individuality, sculpting talent and plastic technique.

Ekaterina Kornilova. Born in Moscow in 1957. Graduated from the Surikov Moscow State Arts Institute (workshop of T. Salakhov) in 1985. Her works are represented in the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian Museum, and museums, galleries and private collections in Russia, Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, Italy, Canada, USA and France, etc.
Although Ekaterina Kornilova is an easily identifiable artist with an individual touch, she does not follow a single style. She was born in a literary family: her father is a poet, and her mother is a writer. This may be the reason why Kornilova draws painting as if she were telling a story in different genres as well as depicting narratives ranging from large panoramic scenes to easel paintings. She closely studies context, landscape, and daily life and spends a lot of time creating her works, as if she was writing a painterly novel with a sequel.

Viktor Korneev. Born in 1958 in Tambov. Studied at K. Savitsky Art school, Penza (1979 - 1983). Graduated from Moscow Arts and Industry High Sсhool (formerly, Stroganov School) in 1983 the workshops of A.N. Burganov and Y.P. Pommer. Gold medal of the Russian Academy of Arts. His works are represented in the State Tretyakov Gallery, in Russian and foreign art museums and in private collections in Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, China, USA, France, Croatia, Sweden, etc.
Each time you see sculptures by Viktor Korneev, you have the sensation of absolute naturalness of their existence in space, of perfectly balanced volumes, of inner harmony of meaning and form. His work evolves within the framework of conventional plastics. Owing to his professionalism, involvement in history of world culture, his knowledge of contemporary European art as well as his firm personal attitudes and tastes, he has become one of the most noteworthy and distinguished artists of his time.

Nikolai Vatagin. Born in Moscow in 1959. Graduated from the Surikov Moscow State Arts Institute in 1982. His works are represented in the State Tretyakov Gallery, Russian and foreign museums, and private collections in Italy, Austria, etc.
Nikolai Vatagin is a fourth generation artist. His great grandmother A.L. Rzhevskaya, was an artist, his grandfather, V.A. Vatagin, was a famous animalist, and his mother, Irina Vatagina, is one of the most renowned contemporary icon painters. His artistic development primarily took place in the family. He also calls Cezanne, Rembrandt, Titian and Velazquez his teachers, although he always feels Russian no matter where he goes and cannot imagine himself without Russia. "I'm a conservative by conviction. I can perceive myself only in the context of Russian and, more precisely, Moscow art."

Dmitry Krymov. Born in Moscow in 1954. Graduated from the School Studio of the Moscow Art Theatre in 1976. His works are represented in the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum, the Russian Museum, and in museums and in private collections in Russia, Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, USA and France, etc.
The works of Dmitry Krymov can be best described as actions or experiments that efface the traditional boundaries of art forms. Interestingly enough, he began his career as a theatre artist who worked with different stage directors (in particular, with his father, the well-known Anatoly Efros). His works have enchanting colours; they combine collage, assemblage, painting, the counterpoint of texture
and luxurious glimmer of cloth. Krymov takes a mosaic approach, making a single unity out of small details by choreographing actions in the space of the painting and directing a delicate play of light.

Ivan Lubennikov. Born in Minsk in 1951. Graduated from the Surikov Moscow State Arts Institute in 1976. Honored Artist of Russia. His works are represented in the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian Museum, and in museums and in private collections in Russia, France, the Netherlands, etc.
Without any doubt, Ivan Lubennikov's art began to flourish in the eighties when he developed out his own artistic language in the traditions of Moscow monumental art. Although he became an artist when he was young, he
immediately turned to the most global aspects of human existence. People are always at the centre of his paintings. All of his works try to penetrate into the spiritual world of a human being.

Elena Surovtseva. Born in 1952 in Kazakhstan. Graduated from Moscow Arts and Industry High School (formerly, Stroganov School). Her works are represented in the State Tretyakov Gallery, in the art museums of Russia, in private collections in Russia, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, France, etc.
Elena Surovtseva is a very energetic, enthusiastic and emotional woman. Her life is like a novel where sculpture is the main character. She is full of new plastic ideas, plans and discoveries. The plasticity of a woman's body provides ample opportunities. "I do what I know quite well, what I feel and understand. Forms of a woman's body expressing the inner state, the essence of the woman prevail with me". Surovtseva is not so much interested in the beauty of the living as in its destiny. The pregnant, mangy cat raises its head proudly like Egyptian goddess Bastet. A dead swallow is stiffened in bronze. "If I weren't to  make them, Elena says, no one would ever see it."

Lev Tabenkin. Born in Moscow in 1952; 1975 graduated from Moscow Printing College. His works are represented in the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Russian Museum, and in many museums of Russia, Germany, as well as in private collections both in Russia and abroad.
"As a rule, an artist is reminiscent of an explorer of new islands, continents, worlds, galaxies." This is how Lev Tabenkin defined his credo. Son of Ilia Tabenkin, a wonderful painter, one of the most intricate artists of the 1960s, he inherited from his father the individuality, profundity and intensity of his inner life. Lev Tabenkin possesses a gift of special vision, he can show what others either do not observe or are unwilling to observe.