Ilya Shevel was born in St. Petersburg, Russia where he attended the Secondary Art School of Russia’s Academy of Fine Art. In the 1970s, after finding the mandated academic style of social realism too restrictive and banal, he became interested in the rebellious movement known as The Leningrad Underground, where he met his mentor and teacher of many years, Alexander Arefiev. Being raised in the “Arefiev Circle”, Ilya became interested in the 1960-1990 non-conformist art period of Russia.
In search of artistic expressionist freedom, he attended the Estonian State Art Institute in Tallinn. Ilya developed his own unique style rooted in maximum expression, color, and form. In 1978, Ilya immigrated to the United States where his work has now been featured in multiple exhibitions, including The Russian Museum of Art, Brooklyn Public Library, and Russian Art Pavillion.
Today he Is best known for his paintings of cityscapes in New York City. Ilya aims to produce cutting edge contemporary work that reflects the hidden poetry and beauty of ever-changing cross-cultural cities in which we live. To not just reflect, but to examine the needs, longings, and uncertainties of the metropolis and create enriching dialogue between modern New York and the people living there. In addition, Ilya Shevel has decorated the Metropolitan Opera stage for 30 years with intricate backdrops and exquisite scenery. You can check out more of his work here: www.fivestarsstudio.com.
For all inquiries, you can contact Ilya Shevel here
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Art is the final product of all aspects of life being brought together in a synthesis and then being put through the individual prism of each artist. I believe that visual art is distinctly different from all other forms of art merely by its definition. Color and form are two great vehicles of expression. By using just these two elements, my goal is to reach a maximal point of tautness, without incorporating any literary context into my work, which has become so popular in our days. Each painting should be like a ripe fruit with juices seeping through its skin. It can be a long and painful process to achieve this final product but in the end it is very rewarding.
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- Ilya Shevel
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