|
|
|
|
|
"In my work, I try to establish intimate contact between the viewer and the place I am painting. I want to show that Paris belongs to everyone who loves it, to the people who live there as well as those who only see it in their dreams." - Liudmila Kondakova
When one thinks of Paris, what comes to mind most often is a series of images and for a lucky few, a wellspring of emotions, the excitement you felt when you first saw the Eiffel Tower. The see-and-be-seen feeling of sitting at a sidewalk cafe, enjoying a sunny day, where you and your friends or loved one spent hours over coq au vin, red wine and laughter. Passing by les Colonnes Morris (there are about 790 of these columns in the streets of Paris and they are used to promote cultural events, just like at their origin when they were created by Gabriel Morris around 1850) viewing the iconic Parisian imagery that lines the streets. Liudmila Kondakova has brought all these images and emotions together in the I Remember Paris suite.
During her training at the icon painting workshop in St. Alexis Cathedral in Moscow, Liudmila Kondakova was taught that beauty is in the detail, and detail is almighty. It was instilled in the young artist that a sense that art is sacred, and the act of painting is a extension of the contemplative life. I Remember Paris is a stunning example of the kind of clarity and detail for which she is known. Her beloved city of Paris is the subject matter, but instead of grand and sweeping vistas of a skyline, she shows us the everyday beauty to be found while taking a break on a bide ride, visiting a quaint cafe or simply walking the tree-lined streets of Paris. The vivid colors and incredible detail made possible by the intimate scale of the paintings bring these everyday scenes to life with almost three-dimensional clarity. Her acute attention to detail is evident in the well-defined wash of sunlight surrounding the umbrella’s shadows the bicycles spokes create against the cobblestone streets, down to the polka-dot Mary Jane’s the woman in the kiosk advertisement balances upon, all in exquisite elegant balance. This suite of images includes some of Liudmila Kondakova’s most beloved imagery; the famous landmarks and icons of Paris, a bicycle, a cafe, and sidewalk scenes. Experience the magic of travel and the romance of this legendary city, with I Remember Paris.
|
|
|
