Alexandr Kachkin
Alexandr Kachkin - Biography
Alexandr Kachkin was born and raised in Kiev. When he was young Alexandr was often read to by his father, who encouraged him to become a highly literate individual. A love of storytelling would later inspire Kachkin's character-drawn paintings. Kachkin paid tribute to his father, who died when Alexandr was a child, in a painting that epitomizes his father's bravery during the Second World War.
At the age of sixteen Kachkin began studying at the prestigious Institute of Fine Arts in Kiev and absorbed the lessons of the painterly style and the work of such artists as Goya, Daumier, Rembrandt and Velasquez. Upon graduation, however, Kachkin found the political climate of his homeland inhospitable to creativity. For years he painted commissioned portraits to earn a living while creating original works in secrecy, dreaming of displaying them in a professional gallery.
During Gorbachev's Perestroika Kachkin was given the chance to display his work in an exhibition entitled “Little Old Men of Podol”. The public responded enthusiastically and many of Kachkin's paintings were acquired by well-known private collectors. Kachkin later gained solo exhibitions in Moscow, Kiev and St. Petersburg. He won special prizes at the opening of Moscow's Central House of Painters Exhibition, at “Art-Frankfurt ‘96” in Germany, and at the Art-Nitza'96” in France. He has also received praise at showings in Chicago and New York. In 1997 the artist immigrated to Toronto and established a small studio. Shortly afterwards he held his first Canadian solo exhibition at Gallery Gevik in Toronto. Art lovers and collectors were amazed by the originality and depth of Kachkin's vision and he has since been exhibiting successfully in both Toronto and Montreal.
Kachkin continues to give life to his alternatively humorous and tragic characters, which are mostly derived from imagination although Alexandr has said that he “has seen all of them [at one time or another] in Pudol.” Kachkin's world is one of whimsical subjects including street musicians, puppeteers, imaginative children, and aging friends. While his subjects display a wide range of emotions they are united by the artist's extraordinary empathy, conveyed in the loving, detailed brush work. Kachkin's paintings appear at first glance to be still moments in time but the viewer is gradually invited to infer the backgrounds of the characters and create biographies.
Kachkin is not interested in a realistic portrayal of his homeland - he captures what many people feel and desire, which is a profound truth. He is an artist whose transparent interest in appearances and the figure relates him to some of the current young figurative artists but his charm and dignity speak to the public in an all-inclusive vein.
Selected Exhibitions:
2009: Solo, Gallery Gevik, Toronto
Fall 2007 : Solo, Gallery Gevik, Toronto
Spring 2004: Solo, Galerie Valentin, Montreal
Spring 2002: Solo, Gallery Gevik, Toronto
Spring 2001: Solo, Galerie Valentin, Montreal
Spring 2000: Solo, Gallery Gevik, Toronto
Spring 1999: Self-portrait, Group exhibition, Galerie Valentin, Montreal
May 1999: Solo, Galerie Valentin, Montreal
Spring 1998: Solo, Gallery Gevik, Toronto
Fall 1997: Solo, Gallery Gevik, Toronto
April 1995: Artexpo 95, New York, USA
March 1995: Art Frankfurt 95, Germany
December 1994: Neo-Shag before Christmas, Central House of Artists, Moscow
May 1994: CIAE 94, Chicago, USA
March 1994: Art Frankfurt 94, Germany
March 1994: Artexpo 94, New York, USA
February 1993: Neo-Shag Gallery, Group Exhibition, Moscow
December 1993: Neo-Shag before Christmas, Central House of Artists, Moscow
November 1993: Christmas Collection, Neo-Shag Gallery, Exhibition Hall of St. Petersburg Union of Artists
October 1993: Artmif 3, Manege, Moscow
June 1993: Opening Day, Neo-Shag Gallery, Central House of Artists, Moscow
March 1993: Artists of Two Capitals, Exhibition Hall,St. Petersburg Union of Artists
April 1993: Art Frankfurt 93, Germany
February 1993: Neo-Shag Gallery, Solo Exhibition, Union of Artists, Moscow
December 1992: Neo-Shag before Christmas, Central House of Artists, Moscow
October 1992: Neo-Shag, Première at St. Petersburg, Exhibition Hall of St. Petersburg Union of Artists
April 1992: New Name, Palace of Youth, Moscow. Painting prize
April 1991: Solo Exhibition, History Museum of Kiev
Artist Specialization: Alexandr Kachkin paints in oil on canvas. His work is reminiscent of the Renaissance paintings but play with colour and light, purple red and golden yellow, with thick depths of blue and impenetrable backgrounds. Kachkin’s paintings contain a fascinating combination of fantasy, harsh reality and mysterious warmth. Card players, musicians, clowns and puppeteers, their dreams of happiness give them a youthful allure, even if their memories may be sad. Bathed in warm mysterious light the people are happy to be alive even if their existence may seem difficult.
