house on the house Print - Limited Edition of 1

Mikhail Koftunov is a graduate of the visual arts department of one of the oldest Russian universities. Since early age he was mesmerized by the ability the ordinary things, among them pencils, sheets of paper, paints, canvases, to turn routine life into a spectacular celebration. The artist's paitings comprise bright colors, light and powerful energy. Rainbow blue, cobaltic, sky blue, violet, scarlet, expressive yellow all almost advance on the beholder through a weightless, imponderable misty fog, which itself produces an effect of a dim velvet surface causing an almost irresistible urge to not only experience this visually, but also tactually. It is exactly with the help of color that the artist expresses his thoughts concerning the essence of art. Painting must cause joy, be beautiful and its main purpose is to help see, feel and create Beauty. Mikhail's works, while staying within the framework of trendy and up-to-date tendencies of contemporary art are, without a doubt, conceptual. Whether it is that the artist creates a project dedicated to trendy emporiums of Saint-Petersburg or paints a series about a mythological character or creates a work that reflects his concepts about the place and the role of a human being in today's society - the Idea is always present. And that is the Idea of Beauty. It is fundamental to creative aspirations and searches conducted by artists. In today's art such a stance is almost a manifesto. A manifesto against dullness, banality and shabbiness. It is undoubtful that the painter leaves the beholder with a choice to interpret the work, but you will definitely not remain indifferent. You will get a feeling of warmth and joy so familiar from childhood when after a powerful and bad storm you got to see two rainbows at a time. www.mihkoff.com