| Interview – Gena
Ivanov @ Adonis Art Gallery 2008
An exhibition of your work is taking place at Adonis Art
in September. What can we expect?
This is my second exhibition of pictures of men, I am looking
to give the viewer a sense of my romantic feelings and experiences,
an appreciation of my love of art and my experiments with colour,
texture and paints.
So how would you describe your style?
It is very difficult to describe my work as one style and I would
leave this to the viewer. I am very experimental and my experiments
will often produce unexpectedly interesting results. I often work
on pictures building up the layers to give a characteristic result.
Some pictures are painted only using a pallet knife. I often also
paint pictures in one breath giving the picture a sense of spontaneity
and movement of soul. I use both classical techniques and modern
mixed media techniques, in short I do not stick to one style but
use many.
What does painting mean to you?
Painting is part of me, a lifestyle, and where I put all my energy
and strength. I feed off the positive reactions of people who
come to my exhibitions, like a power vampire and in return give
this energy back to them in the paintings. Positive emotions are
very important for the artist and for any creative person.
When you were in the army you were a military artist. What
was this like?
My national service was on one hand easy physically it was very
hard psychologically. In the Russian army the artists and musicians
are thought of as elite with a high degree of independence. There
was a lot of work – designing posters, sign writing and
I had little time to relax despite my colleagues thinking I had
an easy life.
Presumably you had to keep your aspirations to show the beauty
and sexuality of the male body hidden?
Clearly this is the case apart from the fact that sexuality and
emotions are hidden in the military, when I was painting in the
army my work was very much under the control of the officers.
You came to London from Russia in 2004 in search of new experiences.
Did you find what you were looking for?
Yes, I found firstly a good friend and secondly the freedom I
did not have at home.
How did the cultural differences between Russia and Britain
influence your work?
I do not see any special distinctions. In Britain people are romantic,
different people have different tastes and react differently to
colour much the same as in Russia. I draw the same here as I did
at home and generally my works here are very popular, people like
the brightness, the ease of perception and the warm positive energy
in my pictures.
Is it easier to explore your homoerotic themes in Britain?
Yes, it certainly is. People are very tolerant and they love art.
Certainly you can still get misinterpretations and if a person
wants to see pornography in a painting, he will find it but I
do not paint pornography. My focus is to explore the aggressive
beauty and sexuality of men.
Is Russia accepting of homosexuality?
This is a very serious question. The country is more open than
it used to be but while the law now allows homosexuality, there
is still great discrimination.
Ironically, many people in the UK look to Russian guys for
erotic inspiration. Do you prefer Russian or British guys?
There are many beautiful Russian guys and I can understand the
appeal of Russian guys to people from the UK. Life is harder and
shorter in Russia. People are well educated and have a strong
social spirit and a naturalness that sometimes is more hidden
in the British. I think that it is important for people to experience
different cultures as we can all learn from each other, as for
myself I do not have preferences based on nationality and I look
for the inner spirit and soul.
What sort of guys do you prefer to paint?
If possible, I like to have men with character and a story to
tell that I can bring out in my paintings.
So, how do you find your models?
I usually try to use friends. I try to make modelling open and
relaxed and do not demand fantastic poses but aim for the natural
simple ones instead. As with any artist I am always looking for
new models.
Where does the inspiration for your colourful, romantic fantasies
come from?
The inspiration comes from my desire to make the world a better
place: to paint in bright pure colours so that people can breathe
the feelings, the romance and the love and get an understanding
of each other.
What emotions are you trying to evoke in the people who look
at your work?
I want people to experience the purest emotions and feeling of
love, an openness and understanding of human weaknesses and passions.
What is it about the naked male body rather than a clothed
one that you find so attractive to paint?
Certainly the naked body, whether it is a man or a woman, is more
attractive to the artist to paint. It allows the artist to feel
the person and explore the sensitivity and tenderness and vulnerability
of the model. It also gives the artist a duty to open up himself
and show the figure in a way to reveal sensuality.
How does your sexuality influence your work?
Sexuality is a fundamental part of a person. For me my sexuality
gives the new and sharp sensations that I can use to transform
paint into pictures. Sex enriches emotion and experience.
Do you think it’s important for the gay community to
see itself represented in art?
I think that it is important for all parts of a society to see
themselves represented in art. It helps spiritual growth and dialogue
between all people.
And finally, what are your plans for the future?
Preparation for this exhibition has given me many ideas for further
works and research in this field of painting. I am very grateful
to Stewart Hardman of Adonis Art Gallery for the help and guidance
he has given me in exploring this subject and I hope to continue
working with him successfully in the future.
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