ANNA RAZUMOVSKAYA
A painting of fluid tranquility, expressed in the form of an elegant and graceful woman in repose with her instrument, brings to the viewer both an impression of the lingering notes in the air and the sensual beckoning of female strength and vulnerability. This is the allure of Razumovskaya’s work: she is, at the heart, an artist who loves to explore juxtapositions of art and emotion, strength and fragility, sensuality and innocence. “But, I am not as serious as that!” she laughs. “I love to paint things that are beautiful – things that make me happy.”
Vibrant in both color and subject, Razumovskaya’s art speaks to people personally, igniting past memories and inviting reflection. The work manifests an ideal world, neither the past nor the future, and is partly a response to Razumovskaya’s romantic family history and Communist Russian upbringing, along with her love of fashion, music, and dance. In her work, Razumovskaya creates a personal Eden - overtly sensual, glamorous and expressive, and evocatively portraying moods and passions through movement, color, and expression. The drape of luxe fabric and the construction of gowns over flesh illuminate the artist’s appreciation of timeless haute couture design, and her beautiful models display a careless, unhurried poise, free from want, free from politics and banal concerns.
An extensive formal art education forms the backbone of Razumovskaya’s very distinctive style. Educated at the Russian State University for the Arts as a High Class Artist, she went on to study further in Germany, Belgium, and Holland, imbuing her artwork with a unique European and cosmopolitan élan. Figures are rendered perfectly and naturally, and the use of extensive detail in the positive space is complemented by impressionistic backgrounds that serve to more fully define the subject, while contributing tp Razumovskaya’s signature rich colors and evocative moods.
All of Razumovskaya’s subjects are treated with dignity; they are intimate portraits that capture a brief, perfect moment in time. A continual motif is the artist in reflection – musicians in repose with instruments, dancers in languid motion or relaxed contemplation. Razumovskaya’s still lifes and landscapes resound with the same poignant feeling of the ideal slice of life - bouquets caught at the moment of perfect, fragrant full bloom and stunning natural scenery at the verdant apex of spring.
Though Razumovskaya’s work is affecting and extraordinary to even the casual observer, it is a testament to her originality that she cannot be pigeonholed into one single classification of art. This, added to the strength of character her personal history brings to the canvas, is what makes her work truly special.
As for fame, this artist isn’t concerned. “I’m so lucky to do what I do for a living, and I am thankful every day that my paintings can bring people happiness and I can make a living doing this. I will never retire; I feel I have to keep working for the people who enjoy my art. It is the love of my life.”
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