Alexander Klimtsov, as well as everything, was born in Leningrad, in 1980 A.D., and at once has believed in his birth, but not in the birth of Christ. His father, Anatoly Aleksandrovich, at that time serving in a fire brigade, and having unconditional talent of a painter, told little Alexander:
- My son, you should become whom you wish to become. You wish to be a drug addict - be it, an alcoholic - you're welcome!
But as things permitted always represent smaller interest than forbidden, Alexander went to art school.
The schoolmates always loved Alexander for his superior intelligence, small height and creative mind, and during lessons fought among each other for the possibility to give Sacha to write off, that is reason why the school programme didn't leave much trace in the artist head. So while schoolmates made each other bruises, Klimtsov started to reflect on the future seriously.
Here is one episode demonstrating as it was:
- Sanchos, draw me a dude with a pistol, and I will give you my lunch
- I am already drawing a machine gun for Sidorov
- Fuc@#$ Sidorov! I'll break his neck.
- All right, calm down! give me your notepad. And your lunch-box too.
- Cool, Sanchos!
So in atmosphere of love and gratitude, the aspiration to something highly spiritual arose in Klimtsov. Highly spiritual came to be a vanancy as a photographer in the chronicle of criminal events in a newspaper, then - a job on the milling machine, etc. But we will not run forward because formation in art school of Roerich became a much more basic part of his life. Here, the spirit of contradiction, the spirit which accompanied many ingenious people of all times was brought up. But, whether teachers didn't take this into consideration, whether on the contrary, have taken it too much to their hearts, Klimtsov was expelled... but! than restored the next year. So, as he said, he studied "for a year longer" . Somebody another in Alexander's place by all means would tell: Now, my dear friends, I am a year cleverer than you!. But our hero is modest. Now, when he is asken to draw a dude with a pistol, he says that he is not able to draw, thereby gives you the possibility to judge his works. Judge.
Alexander Klimtsov. The autobiography
The literary circle "Salochki", 2009.
Dynamic and emotionally charged portraits by the young St. Petersburg artist Alexander Klimtsov synthesize traditions of twentieth century neo-expressionism and pop-art. Klimtsov's art, in terms of genre, can be suitably described as photo-based art. He draws inspiration from images and photographs of iconic personalities in Western and Russian popular culture. By means of meaty, bold brush strokes Klimtsov breathes a new lease of life into the somewhat stony-faced and vacant expressions of VIPs in the photographs. The artist's technique is noteworthy in the sense that he paints a mirror-representation of the original image on the back of the Plexiglas surface, which when looked at from the front is inverted back to its original. This technique of painting back to front lends itself to the expressivity of Klimtsov’s art.
Klimtsov’s predilection for Plexiglas and acrylic paint as media, both symbols of twentieth century technological progress, in favour of the traditional canvas surface and oil paints, is a deliberate attempt to get away from the classical tradition of painting of the artist’s native city, which, some may say, has way past its “sell-by” date and lacks any artistic and aesthetic justification in some instances. In this sense Klimtsov’s art is an experiment – an attempt to embrace modernity and progress in the midst of cultural stagnation and social despondency. Gleaming and vibrant acrylic paint laid on with aggressive, but controlled brush strokes is, simultaneously, a testament and a retort to this. Perhaps, the transparent quality of Plexiglas is a subconscious hint by the artist at Russia’s refusal to shed its Soviet habits of notorious secrecy and opaqueness in the wake of a rapidly changing world order. The use of Plexiglas as a painting surface has a direct allusion to monumental Gothic stained-glass art. Extracted from their original architectural context and displayed in an exhibition space, these glossy hi-tech, “post-modernist stained-glass windows” afford us a view into today’s world, that seems to be religiously obsessed with superficiality, “image” and voyeurism. Thus, Klimtsov’s paintings become a perverse interpretation of the classical tradition, and a neat and perceptive pun, as well as a worthy and stylish addition to your home or office!
Alan Dzodziev, art critic
