NATALYA NESTEROVA An Artist’s Dialog with the Subconscious By JAMIE ELLIN FORBES atalya Nesterova has a well-developed, finely honed Soviet/Russian style of painting, uniquely molding the multi-dimensional symbols that represent the universal into her basic renditions of life. Her constant dialogue with the subconscious reaching through to the esoteric is a transitioning current of thought by which she invites her audience to view the space she has chosen to present her very special iconoclastic language of characters. Her alphabet of art is expertly used to define the concepts offered for discussion while staying in traditional boundaries. The work is not quite as fanciful as Chagall’s, for example, but neither is it as dreamscape oriented. The pieces are factual representations of the artist’s idea of how this and other planes of existence interact within the order of the everyday. Nesterova uses contrast to achieve her goal of uniting all levels of experience. For the most part, this is done in her selection of ideas and their construction, rather than by choice of colors. The muted palette is only occasionally welllit by basic bright blues, greens, reds and some violet. Her energetic brush stroke is confined in static characters, atonally occupying their space. The sense of polarization of ideas is obtained in the play of the presentation of the universal terms in which she clothes her ideas and the rhythm in which she speaks to the viewer. This is primarily achieved by employing the circle of life for presentation. The message is conveyed subtly. Softly molded forms create average-looking people. The ascendent angel against the cityscape, fish who fly amongst standing people, waiting to act. Everything is animated yet nothing moves. Natalya’s paintings are screaming calmly about the basic condition of mankind in ancient glyphs with a steady, non-threatening approach compelling her audience to not just observe, as do her characters, but to think and participate in her ancient Russian dialogue with the esoterica of the soul.
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Golden Angel
“Her alphabet of art is expertly used to define the concepts offered for discussion while staying in traditional boundaries.”
City People 82 • Fine Art • Spring, 2001
Gertsman Article
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