A!!"# S#!$STUDY OF RUSSIA

www.annyasandart.co.uk

When I first started working on Study of Russia, I was overwhelmedby an urge to paint everything. As I worked on one painting, new ideasfor other paintings came into my mind. These ideas led to ten furtherpaintings as my mind constantly explored the subject.

Study of Russia is very different from anything I have painted before.It is rooted in the subject matter. This collection has taken me a long time to complete as I felt compelled to spend as much time as possi-ble on each piece, after falling in love with the subject. These paintingswill be the first part of a collection devoted to exploring Russia’s richcultural and historical heritage.

In the past, I have attempted to limit the influence politics has hadon my art, but for this collection I found such issues difficult to avoid. While working on this collection, I found myself engulfed within a sphere of self-discovery and understanding. I now realise that byignoring life’s realities, one may end up ignoring life itself.However difficult, exploring politics can be highly beneficial in art practice today. There is a hidden value in the harsh realities we canbe faced with; it can help us to appreciate all the joys of life that we,as individuals, so often take for granted.

On a personal level, this collection has been an emotional roller coasterthat I have found somewhat addictive. As the famous saying goes: “You cannever understand Russia with your mind, you can only understand herwith your heart”. Annya Sand

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Study of Russia

“I would like to welcome the Study of Russia exhibition to London. I am proud thatLondon is a fantastically diverse city, with all Londoners able to contributeto and benefit from London’s vibrant and varied cultural realm.

I hope that the Study of Russia exhibition is a fantastic success and would like totake this opportunity to extend my warmest good wishes for the forthcomingUK-Russia Year of Culture.”

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London

“Annya Sand’s new collection confirms her professional progression as an artist. Working from photographic images, the amount of work and attention to detailin terms of colour harmony, shapes and subject matter is overwhelming.

It leads to a beautiful result of carefully thought through compositions. In her work,Annya blurs the lines between abstract expressionism and figurative work, thisallows her to play with colour, shapes and symbolism. Annya builds up layers using confident strokes, tone and colour, to enhance the visual quality of each piece.She accepts that tone can be naturally created and should not conform, other than toitself and in turn, should be displayed on the canvas in a raw, unrestricted manner. Her ability to combine colour and subject in complete harmony shows the significantskill of a talented artist who wants to leave a mark in art.”

Bakhyt Seraliev, Director, A. Kasteyev State Museum of Arts of the Republic of Kazakhstan

“Annya Sand’s new collection is dedicated to the models and moments in Russia’shistory. Her work is a sign of an artist with an open vision and fresh insight into thecontemporary interpretation of the iconic history of Russia such as its cathedrals,ballet, Pushkin and Tchaikovsky.

Reality is explored through Sand’s artistic temperament of subtlety and spiritual depth.This series of works exhibit her wonderful sense of colour, form and principle ofmetaphysical complexity, which is perhaps unequalled today. Sand’s style is executedby a vigorous and dynamic application of paint which, however concentrated, does not result in the loss of control in the forms and spaces and the relationships that make up the visualarchitecture of Sand’s paintings.

The richness of colours presented with invigorating command is a rare element in thesensibilities of contemporary painting inspired by iconic silhouettes of the past. Thishas been masterfully conveyed by Annya Sand.”

Gayane Umerova, Art Director of MEROS Association of Antiques of Uzbekistan, Senior Curator at the Art Gallery of Uzbekistan and Curator of the 6th Tashkent Biennale of Contemporary Art

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Christ the Saviouroil on canvas76 x 101 cm

Designed by the great St.Petersburg architect, Kons-tantin Ton, the Cathedral is one of the most imposingand controversial buildings in Russia. It was originallycommissioned after the de-feat of Napoleon, but workdid not begin on its cons-truction until 1839.

It was erected in 1883 and destroyed by the Soviet go-vernment in 1931 to make way for a proposed Palaceof Soviets that was never

built. Years after its abandon-ment, the site was turned into an open-air swimmingpool, the largest in the world,kept at a temperature of 27ºC all year round. Theresult was a thick coveringof fog that hid a number of deaths (and murders) amongthe swimmers.

After the fall of the SovietUnion, the Cathedral was re-constructed. It was comple-ted on 19th August 2000.

Christ the Saviour

Red Square (Saint Basil’s)oil on canvas92 x 71 cm

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Red Square has been the heart and soul of Russia for centuriesand bears the heavy weight ofRussia’s turbulent history.

It began its life as a slum. In the medieval times, wooden huts,clustered beneath the Kremlinwalls, housed criminals and drunks, who were not allowed inside the official boundaries ofthe city. It was cleared on theorders of Ivan III at the end ofthe 1400s, but remained thesite of public executions.

The square’s name originallyderives from the word ‘krasnyi’,which once meant ‘beautiful’and has come to mean ‘red’ incontemporary Russian. This isunrelated to Communism or thecolour of its many buildings.

Previously known as the TrinitySquare, after the Trinity Ca-thedral (predecessor of St. Basil’s), the name Red Squarebecame official in the mid-17thcentury. In the 20th century itbecame famous as the site of official military paradesdemonstrating to the world the strength of the Soviet Union. Since Perestroika, RedSquare has been used for rock concerts, big classicalmusic perfomances and otherlarge-scale events, such as fas-hion shows and festivals. The beauty of the architectureand the magical atmosphereof the square belies its oftenbrutal and bloody history. This distinct contrast makes RedSquare a truly fascinating place.

Red Square (Saint Basil’s)

Moscow Choral Synagogueoil on canvas121 x 150 cm

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This synagogue represents the turbulent history of Mos-cow’s Jewish community. Itwas built in 1892, but closedin 1896 when the Jews ofMoscow were expelled undera Tsarist anti-Semitic decree.It remained shut for morethan a decade. In 1906, theauthorities allowed worshipservices to resume at the sy-

nagogue, amid a loosening of laws on religious minorities.The Soviet authorities closedthe synagogue again in Au-gust 1923. However, reli-gious services continued insecret. The synagogue was reopened in 1960. Today it is the centre of Jewish life inMoscow.

Moscow Choral Synagogue

Pushkinoil on canvas91 x 71 cm

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To Chaadaev

The lies of fame and love’s resolveHave vanished now without a trace,Our youthful passions have dissolvedAs though a dream on morning haze.

Yet, still, we‘re burning with desire,And with impatience in our souls,Beneath the yoke of strength and fire,We hark our country’s pleading calls.

In expectation, full of ardour,The day of freedom we await,Thus waits a youthful, eager loverThe moment of the promised date.

And whilst with liberty we burn,And whilst our hearts adore ovation,Our country needs us - let us turnAnd dedicate our souls’ elation.

My friend, believe me that with thunder,The star of joy will rise again!And Russia will arise from slumber,Our names will be incised with wonderOn remnants of oppressive reign!

Pushkin

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War and Peaceoil on canvas71 x 91 cm

“Above him there was now only the sky - the lofty sky, not clear yet still immeasurably lofty, with grey clouds creeping softly across it. ‘How quiet, how peaceful and how solemn! ... How was it I did not see that sky be-fore? And how happy I am to have found it at last! Yes, all is vanity, all is delusion; except these infinite heavens. There is nothing, nothing but that. But even it does not exist, there is nothing but peace and stillness...’”

Leo Tolstoy

War and Peace

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Lenin Utopiaoil on canvas76 x 61 cm

Lenin was one of the leading political figures and revolu-tionary thinkers of the 20th century. He masterminded the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in 1917 and was the architectand leader of the USSR.

Born Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov intoa well-educated family. He stu-died law at university where hewas exposed to radical thin-king. His views were also influ-enced by the execution of hiselder brother, a member of arevolutionary group. Ulyanovadopted the pseudonym Leninin 1901. Expelled from uni-versity for his extreme views,Lenin moved to St. Petersburgto become a professional revo-lutionary. Like many of his contemporaries, he was arres-ted and exiled to Siberia. Afterhis Siberian exile, Lenin spent the next decade in Western Europe, where he emerged as a prominent figure in the in-ternational revolutionary mo-vement and became the lea-der of the Bolshevik faction of the Russian Social DemocraticWorkers’ Party.

By 1917 Russia was exhaus-ted by World War One. As-sisted by the Germans, who hoped that he would under-

mine the Russian war effort, Lenin returned home and star-ted working against the Pro-visional Government that hadoverthrown the Tsarist regime. He eventually led what was soon to be known as the Oc-tober Revolution. Almost three years of civil war followed. TheBolsheviks were victorious andassumed total control of thecountry.

Lenin’s efforts to transform the Russian economy into a socialistmodel stalled, but he introdu-ced the New Economic Policy,where a measure of private enterprise was again permitted.This policy continued for se-veral years after his death. In1918, Lenin narrowly survivedan assassination attempt, but was severely wounded. His long-term health was affected and in 1922 he suffered a stroke from which he never fully re-covered. In his declining years, he worried about the bu-reaucratisation of the regimeand also expressed concern over the increasing power ofhis eventual successor JosephStalin. Lenin died on 24 January1924. His corpse was embalmed and placed in a mausoleum in Moscow’s Red Square.

Lenin Utopia

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Smolny Cathedraloil on canvas76 x 61 cm

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Smolny Cathedral in St. Peters-burg was originally intendedto be the central church of a monastery. It was built as a home for Elizabeth, the daughterof Peter the Great, who optedto become a nun after she wasbarred from taking the throne.However, as soon as her Imperialpredecessor was overthrown du-ring a coup, carried out by theRoyal Guards, Elizabeth decidedto accept the offer of the Ru-ssian throne.

Smolny Cathedral’s stunning blue-and-white building is one of the architectural masterpieces

of the Italian architect Rastrelli, who also created the Winter Palace, the Grand Catherine (Yekaterininsky) Palace in Push-kin and other major landmarks of the city. The cathedral was built between 1748 and 1764. When Elizabeth stepped down from the throne, the funding stopped and Rastrelli was un-able to build the huge bell-tower or finish the interior ofthe cathedral. The building wasonly finished in 1835.

Today Smolny Cathedral is used primarily as a concert hall.

Smolny Cathedral

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Tchaikovskyoil on canvas71 x 91 cm

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is one of the world’s greatest composers. He was born in 1840 in Votkinsk, Vyatka region, Russia. Tchaikovsky played piano since the age of 5 and his works include symphonies, concertos, ope-ras, ballets, chamber music and a choral setting of the

Russian Orthodox Divine Li-turgy. He is most famous for his ballets ‘Swan Lake’, ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ and ‘The Nutcracker’; operas ‘Euge-ne Onegin’, ‘The Queen of Spades’ and ‘Iolanta’, as well as four Symphonies and the brilliant Piano Concerto Nº1.

Tchaikovsky

End of an Eraoil on canvas91 x 71 cm

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“Mikhail Gorbachev is a very controversial figure in Russian and world politics. He has saved and destroyed so many lives but nevertheless he gave the Soviet people the chan-ge that they so longed for, and by doing so, he changedthe world forever. In the bac-kground he is surrounded bywhat appears to be a represen-tation of the ever-increasing im-pact during his time in politics. When I was working on thispainting I realised that, in my

view, he is a very positivehistorical figure because whathe did was crucial for everyonewho lived in Soviet times. The Soviet people could have con-tinued living a restricted life, where they were forbidden by the regime to access informa-tion and the outside world and were told, under the threat of prosecution, what to like and to dislike. However, Gorbachevgave them the opportunity toexperience a different life andto make those decisions forthemselves”.

End of an Era

Annya Sand

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Plyosoil on canvas | 76 x 101 cm

Matryoshkioil on canvas | 76 x 61 cm

Necessary Eviloil on canvas | 61 x 76 cm

Christ the Saviouroil on canvas | 76 x 101 cm

Red Square (Saint Basil’s)oil on canvas | 92 x 71 cm

We Are Waiting For Changesoil on canvas | 91 x 122 cm

Moscow Choral Synagogueoil on canvas | 121 x 150 cm

Pushkinoil on canvas | 91 x 71 cm

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Study of Saint Isaac’s Cathedral oil on canvas | 71 x 91 cm

War and Peaceoil on canvas | 71 x 91 cm

Lenin Utopiaoil on canvas | 76 x 61 cm

Symphony of Russiaoil on canvas | 76 x 100 cm

Smolny Cathedraloil on canvas | 76 x 61 cm

Tchaikovskyoil on canvas | 71 x 91 cm

End of an Eraoil on canvas | 91 x 71 cm

Save and Protectoil on canvas | 114 x 152 cm

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Sources

BBC

Encyclopædia Britannica

Financial Times

www.gohistoric.com

www.jta.org

www.moscow.info

www.sacred-destinations.com

www.saint-petersburg.com

www.travel2moscow.com

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