by #LizPublika
Songs of Summer
Opening Reception
June 8th, 6-8pm
RSVP @ events@untitled-space.com
Nature seems to have a special place in the hearts of Slavic people. And artist Elena Chesnykh is no exception. The New York City-based creative was born and grew up in Novosibirsk, Russia. And even though the city is a modern metropolis, it is surrounded by streams and rivers, plains and forests, all of which appear to have a profound influence on the skilled painter.
“My latest series of paintings is about the joy and pleasure of being alive and connecting with nature. It is about oneness with the environment, exploring one’s innate wild nature, inner beauty, and power,” explains Chesnykh, whose solo exhibition Songs of Summer is opening at The Untitled Space on June 8th and will remain on view until June 22nd.
Curated by artist and gallerist Indira Cesarine, the exhibition will showcase Chesnykh’s watercolors and oil paintings that celebrate nature, the joy of summer, as well as self-love and body positivity. “I explore different aspects of human existence through the subject, a woman searching for and creating her identity, her place in the world, and finding self-empowerment.”
Although the female form is clearly a constant in this collection, the overall body of work straddle the imaginary line between figurative drawing and nature-inspired abstract art; nude forms blend into leaky inky blobs and expressive gestural strokes, landscapes collide with translucent waterscapes, and colors freely flow from one into the other.
“This woman strikes a balance within herself, her body, and her sexuality. I see the female body as a source of vitality, desire, and power. My attention to the body comes from my immigrant experience. I left my country and everything I had, but my body is inseparable. It belongs only to me. It physically presents itself, like an anchor connecting me with reality.”
Many of her paintings can be classified as soft and feminine. There are no rigid edges and angles; instead the artist relies on wet-on-wet, water ink and watercolor techniques to create a sense of movement which is then frozen in time. Summer is infinite in her paintings, and so is her essence, as it bleeds into the surroundings; she is summer and summer is her.
Check out Songs of Summer at The Untitled Space, and make sure to RSVP for the Opening Reception scheduled for June 8th, between 6 and 8pm.
The Untitled Space
45 Lispenard Street, NYC 10013
Note* All of the event information and images are provided by our partners.