Belikov Vasilij Matveevich

(1921-1994)


       Born in Svishchevka, Tambov Province, Russia in 1921. Studied at the Astrakhan Art School between 1938 and 1941. Served in the armed forces as a sailor between 1941 and 1947 and participated in the Second World War. After leaving the navy he continued his studies at the Penza Art School between 1947 and 1950.
       Upon finishing art school he worked for the Penza branch of the Art Fund of Russia during which time he became their director. At the age of 40 he fell ill with tuberculosis, struggled against the illness for several years and eventually overcame it. Since then he devoted himself to his art.

He regulary attended summer residence for creative art "Akademicheskaya" where he became acquainted with many of the leading artists of the country. In 1975 he was accepted into the USSR Union of Artists. His main creative expression was through landscape painting and to a lesser degree, still life and portraits.

 

Artist about the Art

 

       All my artwork is autobiographical. To express my vision of the world is the way I put feeling into my art. I am always in touch with nature: every object retains a mystical feel. Nature causes me to meditate over its color language, this personifies every painting I produce. If somebody gets a special feeling of something personal in my paintings, I'm satisfied. I think that art itself cannot be explained clearly. Something soulful must remain besides logical understanding of the artistic process. Art is something I feel in my soul. I prefer to create my artworks directly from nature to emphasize intimacy in what I create.

V.Belikov