Andrey Severetnikov – realist in post-realism age – path of painting Realism of 21st century does not anymore resemble its older brother of 19th century. Realism’s destiny was not easy. During whole 20th century, when the art was struggling for its role and change in functions, the realism was both recognized and denied. However, the newly obtained freedom not to reproduce the reality did not automatically mean creation of new artistic enquiry or creation of new artistic functions. Abandonment from realism did not mean that actual visual world, which surrounds us, have disappeared somewhere, abandonment from realism did mean only capitulation before more efficient media, which ones ensured much higher degree of real-world’s rendering. However, not all of the artists were able to become reconciled with defeat. Those ones, who manly continued to cultivate tradition of realistic representation in spite of any conditions, suddenly noticed that reality possesses fascinating aspects of personal subjectivity and transcendence. Only long-term nature studies, which are known by artists, who cultivate realistic representation, are able to discover their metaphysical secret, which encloses insane game of nature’s beauty. Painting of Andrey Severetnikov explicitly demonstrates search for these secrets of reality. Andrey’s painting firstly is honest and manly keeping of realistic traditions. Artist has devoted all his time for improvement of life-like reality reproduction. Both still life and landscape studies, as well as portrait studies have served for it. Each day had come with its own discovery by supplementing already gained knowledge with new and new recognitions, allowing looking a little bit behind the veil of real, visual world’s secrets. However, artist’s sense of reality reveals for us, when we are looking at his works in field of figural painting. Small, as if by chance made fragments of reality create very personal and subjective scene of reality sense, which is united by explicit feel of existential existence. Painting is not only means for survival, kind of production for artist, but also the base for world’s exploring strategy. Painting allows to be devoted also to that what could be called as reality studies. Painting, of course, attributes to this strategy of exploring and studies the special – esthetical dimension. It could be said that Andrey’s realism is contemplative realism, based in meditative reflections and patient in-depth studies, which are not characteristic to present days. It is realism, which not only helps to notice visual magnificence of surrounding world and to trace aesthetic games of reality, it is the realism, which can serve also as means of enlightenment in the infinite way towards awareness of its oneness. By going its own path. Path of painting.

Andris Teikmanis

2006

The original text in Latvian language