Negodaev Yuri

Biography

Noah’s Ark of Yuri Negodaev.
In the ancient city of Vladimir lives a non-vladimirian artist Yuri Negodaev. His fate mirrored the fate of thousands of people who lived on the outskirts of the great Soviet empire. The artist was born in Eastern Kazakhstan, in the city of Semipalatinsk. Middle Asia and soviet Kazakhstan can be compared with the biblical city of Babel. Political emigrants, victims of Stalin’s repressions, evacuated, virgin lands conquerors, “soldiers” of industrialization and collectivization have rooted themselves into the land of the Soviet East. The land that gave birth to a new ethnos, which received an awkward, politicized definition - “Russian speaking population”. But just like the Tower of Babel, the Soviet Union collapsed and the shatters of colonial civilization scattered all over the world. Yuri Negodaev got an invitation from his friend, publicist and musician Sergey Milyaev, to come to Vladimir. More than ten years has gone by since that moment; the artist’s creative method had shaped up. In its foundation a multicultural consciousness was laid, the rudiments of which were instilled during childhood and youth. Perhaps that is why Negodaev’s art has a supranational nature. It is reminiscent of Western Renaissance, Ancient East and Russian avant-garde.
During the early period of his work Yuri paid tribute to his devotion with objectless compositions. Just like the artist himself says, he was heavily influenced by P. Filonov. Gradually he became interested in figurative art and shaped the style characteristic of his contemporary works. On one hand, the universe of artist’s images is well-known. Biblical characters, personified allegories, “humanized” animals populate his paintings. The artist’s original perception makes them unusual. No sacral pathos can be found in his works. The artist intentionally distorts live shapes. The three Graces, Adam and Eve, numerous angels are always somewhat angular, big-nosed. Yuri doesn’t astonish a spectator with a perfect harmony but as if he rather calls: “Behold the root!” What is beauty for a master? Obviously the Chekhov’s thesis is not applicable here. The artist is more likely rethinking Leonardo’s approach. Da Vinci liked looking for beauty in ugliness. Negodaev, on the contrary, turns exemplary images inside out showing the possibility of a dissonance. A harmonic body doesn’t always house a beautiful spirit and vice versa. This point of view brings the artist closer to the masters of Northern Renaissance.
Another Negodaev’s artwork is intentional reduction in pathos, secularization of sacred stories. (time to remember P.Briegel and H. Bosch). Angels present in abundance on the paintings of the artist are occupied with simple tasks, which apparently are very important to them. They are fishing, walk their leashed cats, enthusiastically chasing butterflies. Tigers, lions, panthers and hares may gather for (what a sacrilege!) to the last supper. As you understand, these actions take place in the Garden of Eden!
The theme of Eden is very important for the artist. It appears even in the works, in the names of which it doesn’t sound. For example, series of allegories-personification latently carries the element of dream about Heaven. Flora, Night, Europe, Asia, Africa, America are surrounded by mysterious landscapes with fantastic trees, animals and foliage. Similar feelings are enforced by golden backgrounds, so adored by the artist. Gold, as it is known, is a sign of heavenly world.
Speaking of coloring of Negodayev’s paintings, it is necessary to note his decorative style. In some cases the artist gives preference to a bright palette, where green, red-pink and sky blue shades dominate («Noah’s Arc», «The Stealing of Europe », «Adam and Eve»). And in such works as «The Animal Holiday», «Moon night walk», «Parts of the World» series the color is built upon prevailing of exquisitely created brownish-ocher, yellow tones. Whatever array of colors is used by the artist he is invariable in his great attention to details. Every piece of the canvas is carefully “written”. Combining different textures and drawing thin accurate lines create associations with embroidery, a tapestry. There are no secondary details. A small grass stem, a flower, a grasshopper did not just appear on the painting out of nowhere. They are a part of the universe created by Negodayev, and this universe has no beginning or end. Perhaps, that’s why the compositions of his works are «open». They are presented as part of one large frieze. Every work can be placed into an imaginary row completing the artist’s world’s picture. Another peculiarity of compositions is the practical absence of far backgrounds, an «overturned» space. These techniques add flatness to the image, enhancing its decorative sound.
Conditional stylization is the most applicable way for shaping of the tasks set by Yuri Negodayev. You can’t describe a dream-world with reality-world words. That’s why dog-sized grasshoppers and tiny pink crocodiles are so organic on the artist’s paintings. And every creature is looking at us with a blue human eye, in which we read either a question or reproach. Sometimes it appears that this is the look of an artist seeking his own Eden. To the unknown shores is headed the arc, filled with beauty and kindness, and its pilot – is the artist Yuri Negodayev.