Master of the Fantasic: Sergey Tyukanov

My world is the world of the metamorphosis and paradox, which are reality for me, and this reality I materialize in my works. I like to be surprised and astonished, I like to surprise and astonish myself. Creativity should inspire and arouse creativeness. I invite you to travel in the world of my fantasies” - Sergey Tyukanov, Kaliningrad.

 Born in 1955, Russia's Sergey Tyukonaov studied art in his homeland and received a Teacher's diploma to teach an artform he obviously loves - Printmaking! He now lives and works in Kaliningrad. The type of work he does is at once whimsical, amusing and fantastic. The details of his invented creatures and people are filled with infinite description and the work delights all that gazes upon it.   

 Tyukanov is one amongst that group of Eastern European printmakers who can't seem to find a tool small enough to work with on their pieces. They are the type that have to wear a jeweler's loop to make and see the intricate detailing of their compositions. A normal person would wring their hands and have a breakdown making this kind of imagery, but Tyukanov and his comrades delight in the challenge. His results are inventive and quirky. 

 His prints beg to be found in the pages of a well-worn and much-read children's book.  The Alice in Wonderland print above is filled with 'dress up' options for changing her head and hair and face. It's  paperdoll cut out wardrobe via our heroine, in one of literature's more wild-ride adventures, inspires young minds to formulate their creative juices. 

 Tyukanov has exhibited his work in several exlibris circles and the references of his work speak of mechanical inventions, playful mouse-trap-like contraptions comprised of a miscellany of hodge-podge items and parts and string and wheels and  a range of goofiness, but all in good fun. I am suddenly reminded of Dr. Suess' Cat in the Hat as the Cat rides the sweeping machine as  the playful play master rides his mechanical toy seahorse steed overland.  

The assortment of musical hats and other animal instruments is good for the soul, but again, one wonders what that cacophony would sound like. (This may require a set of earplugs.:)

 One can see why Tyukanov's work has been exhibited worldwide (although mostly in European circles where we westerners wouldn't normally get the opportunity to see such refined work). We could do with a few more exposures of this man's prints, and be the better for it. Here's to hoping someone gets a hold of Tyukanov and brings him and his work to the US for a tour.....SOON. Contact him at tyukanov@gazinter.net

Exhibitions

Permanent  Collections:

Tretyakovs Art Gallery /Moscow, Russia

Victoria and Albert Museum /London, Great Britain

Bristol Museum /Bristol , Great Britain

Riga Museum /Riga , Latvia

Graphic Cabinet of English Engraver's Society /Great Britain

Bewick Museum of Engraving /Great Britain

Frederikshavn Museum of exlibris / Denmark

Frans Masereel Center / Kasterle, Belgium

Museum of exlibris /Moscow , Russia

Malborc Castle Museum /Malbork, Poland

International Institute of Humor and Satire / Gabrovo, Bulgaria

Kaliningrad Art Gallery /Russia

Kaliningrad Regional Museum of History and Art /Russia

Museum of World Ocean /Kaliningrad, Russia

Collection of Municipality of Raisio / Finland

Portland Art Museum / USA

Gilkey Center  for graphic arts / Portland , USA

Solo Exhibitions:

Russia, Finland, Danmark, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, USA, the Netherlands

Group Exhibitions:

Russia, Yugoslavia, USSR, Finland, Norway, Poland, Mexico, Denmark, Latvia, Germany

Bulgaria, Great Britain, Italy, India, France, Japan, Belgium, Switzerland, USA, Spain

Ukraine, Netherlands

Awards:

Honour Diploma of Triennial of Graphic Art / Riga, Latvia 1987

Special mention of International Competition of Exlibris /Torino, Italy 1989

Prize of 4-Internatinal Biennial of graphic and exlibris /Ostrow Wielkopolski, Poland 1991

1-premium of 2-Biennale of Easel Graphic Art /Kaliningrad, Russia 1992

Premium of Int. Competition, "Cristoforo Colombo 1492-1992 /Genova,Italy,1992

Honour Diploma of 3-Biennale of Easel Graphic /Kaliningrad, Russia 1994

Distinction Medal of 8-International Biennale /Ostrow Wielkopolski, Poland

Master of his Universe: The Prints of Guntars Sietins

It would be hard for anyone not already indoctrinated to the mysteries of printmaking to imagine why or how one makes work like that of Latvia's Guntars Sietins. Yet, his work doesn’t require we know the inside scoop how he conjures up these luscious  prints with their velvety black shadows and precise, meticulous detail. We simply shouldn’t care for they are spectacular prints and no matter how he makes them, we are picking our jaws up off the floor in awe. They are incredible images that have found a bridge between the rational and the insanely obsessed. 

The netherworld of Sietins prints is one where we identify ourselves with the shiny metal ball. The universe it courses through is filled with a sort of timelessness, and an endless spectrum of letters, words and digits. We become the ball as it rolls around this pinball machine world, like a pendulum between reason and the precipice of our demise.

The cavernous places Sietins lets us roll around in are filled with letters and numbers and niches for all minutia of time. Some places look  like ouija boards, and some torture us with color wheels labeled only in black and white. There is no need for him to bring these images to color or the optical illusions as created with Victor Vasarely's eye-popping prints. These pieces function in the purest of range of black and white and they require nothing else. The ball represents us as a sort of universal core – a sun perhaps – where it flows through space and time. We can easily traverse the spaces Sietins creates, but the logic of our placement on his compositions is measured and we feel uncomfortable moving outside the place he’s made for us.

 Sietins' subjects tend to defy gravity and he creates this deeply meditative atmosphere where we want to stay and take our time examining every inch of that seductive blackness. His mastery of the process is exceptional and he capably uses imagery seen in the east which revolves around math and order. We are intrigued and enjoy our 'roll around' in the depth of his surreal landscapes which seem to swing between the earth and the heavens.

Bio

Born in 1962, in Latvia, Sietins comes from the city of Kuldiga. He later moved to Riga where he studied art at the Applied Arts College and the Academy of Arts. Currently he is professor of Graphic Art at the prestigious Latvian Academy of Art, in Riga. Sietins has widely exhibited his prints throughout Europe, Japan and the United States and his works are included numerous museum collections throughout Europe.

Recent awards:

International Print Biennale in Maastricht, the Netherlands

Felicien Rops International Print Triennial

International Print Triennial, Poland

15th Space International Print Biennial, Seoul, Korea

1st Printmaking Triennial, Thesaloniki, Greece

Aomori Print Triennial, Aomori, Japan

right: picture of Guntars Sietins

Contact:

Art Academy of Latvia

13 Kalpaka boulevard, Riga, LV-1867, Latvia

Phone: +371 67332202; + 371 67336200

Fax: +371 6722863

E-mail: info@lma.lv; lma@latnet.lv, www.lma.lv

E-mail: guntars.sietins@lma.lv 

Phone: + 371 26440595