Paintings by Igor Kozlovsky and Marina SharapovaCultural Conversations with hanrahan Meyers architects

  "THE WALKERS - XII
(Big Noses)"
2008
Oil on canvas
64/48" (160/122 cm)

"We are artists, which is an excellent thing. We are married, also an excellent thing. We work together-not necessarily an excellent thing. What do we mean by this? Clearly, it isn't that we don't find inspiration in each other's work or ideas. However, on a practical level, it is hard to avoid some problems.  First of all, though we have been together for twenty years, whenever we work on a picture together, we spend most of our time arguing. Perhaps this isn't all that surprising. Van Gogh and Gauguin tried to work together in Arles. They stood side-by-side, produced some wonderful work,and ultimately came to hate each other. Our task may even be harder. They weren't married after all, and we don't want to end of hating each other. Still, as we say, working together generally produces conflict rather than peace.

Why? Primarily, it is because we come to a canvas from different directions. Igor's specialty is a subtle sense for color, a wonderful appreciation for the tactile nature of paint, canvas, and wood, and an intuitive feel for how to play with abstract images. Marina, on the other hand, possesses an excellent and subtle touch for realistic drawing and is capable of creating new images on the basis of the works of older artists, particularly those of the Italian and Dutch renaissance. We have been working towards our present level of cooperation for many years, first employing the techniques of realist art, then becoming interested in the achievements of abstraction, then those of the Russian avant-garde. "

The above text is excerpted from the artists' website : http://www.igor-marina.com

"NEBULA"
2004
Oil on canvas
60/48" (152x122cm)