20.06. - 22.07.2019

Galerija "Māksla XO"

Elizabetes iela 14, Rīga, LV 1010

NEONILLA MEDVEDEVA

ÉTUDES

In Latvian contemporary art, Neonilla Medvedeva’s artistic style has gained its recognition – it merges together fine tonal painting, where we can feel a continuity of the Latvian classics - Eduards Kalnins’ atmospheric light, Leo Svemps’ colourfulness, as well as a virtuoso drawing by Russian master Mikhail Vrubel. The main subject of the works is the inner state of calmness – a search for the harmony and the balance.

The latest Neonilla Medvedeva’s solo show “Études” is a dedication to nature, the cities and the people of Latvia. More than forty paintings, which were created during three years en plein air, offer a touching journey through Latvia.

“In nature, I see and enjoy the light, the colour and the composition of lines. Light attracts me the most. When it appears in the painting, the soul rejoices. Then I consider that the work has been fulfilled. To paint in nature, it is a process of love, full of inspirational air. Before I start to paint, I look around for a long time, I search for the subject, think about the size and the format, simply saying – I torture myself. When I start to paint, there is this moment full of concentration. Usually I start painting with some detail in the centre, which attracts me the most, for example, a flowerpot, a chair, a field of colour…, and then this detail keeps me going, and continue. I move on to bigger fields of colour. At some point, a feeling of some sort of completeness arises, it is a special, calm feeling.  At the end, I sign the painting, draw the wires, twigs, and it’s ready. Perhaps it can be said that I start and finish with the graphical, but the painting itself is somewhere in-between. A pleasant process.
I enjoy working in nature, because it is the closest connection with nature and people. When working in nature, someone always stops, says something, smiles, sometimes the person gets painted. Children are always very open, they usually stay longer and ask to be painted.
A person and nature are not indifferent to the creative, they work together with the artist. It is a relationship. Sometimes even birds are watching, dogs and cats come over… In the forest, the meadow or the lake you don’t feel alone, because they are full of animals. Nature is never empty, it is full of the presence of creatures, and I try to show that. It is this closest connection – artist/viewer/nature. It is missed in our daily life. I am sure that this meeting stays long in the mind of the viewer.” Neonilla Medvedeva.

Neonilla Medvedeva (1987) has graduated from the Art Academy of Latvia and received Master’s degree in painting (2011). She has organized 13 solo shows in Latvia, Sweden, Germany and Greece. Since 2008, Neonilla Medvedeva has participated in more than 20 group shows and international projects in Latvia and abroad – Sweden, Germany, Italy, France, Greece, United Kingdom, Lithuania, Estonia and Russia. She is the author of the crypt altar-piece in Saldus St. Peter and Paul Roman Catholically church (2008).
The artist lives and works in Riga, Latvia.

More about the exhibition:

https://replay.lsm.lv/lv/ieraksts/ltv/161709/laikmetiga-stikla-maksla-un-smalka-tonala-gleznieciba