Monday, November 17, 2014

The Fascinating Paintings Of Peter Panov

By Christa Jarvis


The 1920s were a time when artists gathered in Paris cafes and talked about the revolution that was happening in the world of art and other spheres of life. Artist, Peter Panov, was fascinated by this epoch and it shows in his paintings. This artist was born in Izevsk and graduated from an academy in Moscow where he learned fine art.

The characters in his paintings are recognizable and familiar to us and yet at the same time they also convey individual memories and history. Men wearing suits and hats, women drinking wine at sidewalk cafes, men reading newspapers and troubadours playing their instruments are depicted. He paints jazz musicians, starts of the silver screen and city scenes.

The artist paints mainly with acrylics but also creates some mixed media works. He uses cubism in his work and this is perhaps what gives it a modern feel. Some of his paintings are almost collage-like. He favors using newsprint and newspapers appear in many of his works. His flat figures and panes of color are typical of cubism. However, his sophisticated use of colors creates depth and interest.

His canvas is filled with intricate details and he juxtaposes elements in unexpected ways. Large figures of musicians are seated in the sky playing their instruments with the city below them. Others stand alongside buildings and almost seem part of them. This makes one wonder about whether the inhabitants are molded by the city or whether they create its image around them.

The textures are created with the use of palette knife and brush and colors are combined in a sophisticated manner. He takes the routine of city life and manages to capture moments in time to tell a story. Someone moves behind the curtains, a woman battles against the wind in the street with her umbrella, two lovers embrace in a telephone booth and a woman sits at a cafe applying her lipstick with a small mirror.

Josephine Baker features in some paintings. His paintings of this iconic singer, dancer and actress who became famous in the 1920s bring to mind the way she sashayed onto the stage and captivated audiences. Mary Pickford, one of the most famous stars of the silver screen is also captured.

Crowd scenes are a favorite of this artist. He finds a way to depict collective memory but at the same time to make it distinctive. A number of paintings depict men in hats and suits facing away from the viewer. They all look the same but on closer examination, the tiniest details are diverse. Many of his crowd scenes are like this with a recognizable sameness and yet many subtle differences.

The paintings of this artist are available for purchase at online galleries. These paintings tell a story about a specific era and yet they are timeless. Those who love these paintings eagerly await any new ones becoming available as this does not happen on a regular basis. His paintings have a great deal of depth and a narrative quality that goes beyond the images.




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