My inaudible music: an exhibition of abstract artist Sergei Maksimenko opens in the mArs art space

In the art space mArs (Marsovo Pole, 3) on Monday, March 7, at 18:00, the opening of a personal exhibition of the St. Petersburg abstract artist Sergey Maksimenko “My inaudible music” will take place. Like all expositions of the New Wanderers project, the exhibition will be available for visiting for two weeks.

Sergei works in a rather rare technique – oil on paper. The main principle of his art is absolute freedom: from the audience’s expectations, from the dictates of specific styles and trends. Therefore, for each individual work, the artist chooses his own plastic language, alternating the soft ligature of smooth colorful lines with hard geometrism. The variety of color solutions is also interesting – among the works of Sergei Maksimenko there are both works with an extremely rich palette, and almost monochrome painting. Abstraction for Sergey is a universal way of expressing thoughts and feelings, a direction that is timeless and not amenable to obsolescence; and it can be unequivocally said that Sergei Maksimenko managed to expand the boundaries and possibilities of this area of ​​art.

Sergei Maksimenko was born in 1960 in the city of Frunze (now Bishkek), where he entered the art school. Although during his studies Sergey mastered the compulsory program based on the realistic direction, already during his student years he was interested in contemporary art and, in particular, abstraction. He categorically disagreed with the curriculum, because of creative differences with the teachers he went on academic leave, but he decided to complete his studies at the school.

In 1980, Sergei Maksimenko moved from Kyrgyzstan to Leningrad. For five years, the artist unsuccessfully entered the Leningrad Academy of Arts and the Mukhinskoye School. Leaving attempts to get into the academic environment, Sergei continued to make art on his own. In the 90s, the artist got married and concentrated on his family and raising children. Together with his wife, he founded an art studio for children aged 4 to 10 years old, the studio successfully continues to work today.

It was teaching that helped Sergei Maksimenko to revive his interest in the practical side of art with renewed vigor and to immerse himself in painting again. It is known that children’s creativity inspired many artists, helped them discover new techniques and approaches. During classes in the studio, Sergey gives children complete freedom in terms of choosing techniques and subjects, without limiting the potential of young artists with strict limits. And to himself, in the same way, he gave complete freedom, bringing his art to a completely new stage of development. One way or another, from 2005 to this day, the most productive period of Sergei Maksimenko’s work has continued. During this period, the number of works created by Sergei began to grow rapidly, and there was also a desire to present them to the public, to receive feedback. In 2014, the artist opened a solo exhibition at the Borey Gallery, in 2016 at the IFA exhibition hall, and in 2018 Sergey Maksimenko acted simultaneously as an artist and curator, organizing a major exhibition of abstract artists in Petrikirche.

Free admission.