Anatoly Zaslavsky, Blue Bridge

Anatoly Zaslavsky was born in Kiev, Ukraine. In 1965, he graduated from the Mukhina College of Art and Design. On one hand, Anatoly Zaslavksy is an impulsive artist. He acts on his most natural instincts, but on the other hand, he is a theoretical guru. A passionate defender of oil painting, Zalavsky compares himself to a piano player caught in the world of disco with the mission of maintaining a legacy though interpretation and self-improvisation. For Zaslavsky, the world as a colorful substance is a primary impulse, and the painterly content of his work takes precedence over the image -- coming into existence as a portrait, street, trolley, fence, or a potato field. The blend of childlike drawing technique and skillfulness emphasizes the importance of a first impression, thoughtful reflection, playfulness, and observation. This defines his art as fresh, improvisational, inspirational, unaffected, and unconstrained. Everything that catches his eye automatically becomes an animated painterly utterance or a picturesque event that glorifies the delight and rapture of the moment. Anatoly Zaslavsky’s first solo exhibitions took place in St. Petersburg (1991) and in New York (1999 and 2006); they were curated by Regina Khidekel. His works are included in major museums and private collections in Russia, Europe, Israel, and the USA.