Parshikov Vladimir

The characters in Vladimir Parshikov’s pictures appear before the viewer like actors appear on stage. They are deep in their thoughts and live in an imaginative space made up by the artist. This is not a fortuitous coincidence since Parshikov is a stage artist by profession.

Born in 1937, the artist spent his childhood in wartime Leningrad. Parshikov remembers that his artistic abilities were spotted by a teacher in a children’s camp who recommended him to the art school at the Repin Institute where he enrolled on graduation in 1965.

After one year at the Repin Institute the artist went to the Ostrovsky Theatre Institute where he studied at the workshop of Segal. After finishing his studies the artist began teaching and making decorations for stage performances.

In 1970 Parshikov joined the Union of Artists.   

Stage artists are normally recognized by their decorative style and bright colours. Parshikov’s paintings, however, are different. His pictures demonstrate his fondness for painting traditions coming from the Silver Age of Russian culture.

Parshikov constructs his paintings on subtle and unstable colour combinations. There is nothing occasional in Parshikov’s paintings: everything he depicts is allegorical and symbolic.