Lucid Visions – Russian Surrealist Stanislav Plutenko
January 1, 2022
From social commentary, to allegory, to the re-telling of Biblical tales – Stanislav Plutenko touches upon the most universal, timeless themes.
Born in Moscow, Russia in 1961 Plutenko is currently one of the top 10 surrealists in the world, working primarily on orders from global royalty and international Museums of Fine Art.
Plutenko merges space, time, and other worlds into meaningful and beautiful paintings. He imagines and creates fantasy worlds, unbound by gravity or fear. The visions for his art appear as lucid dreams, and Plutenko must quickly transfer them to paper before the visiting inspiration dissipates.
The artist works in the techniques of the old masters, employing oil, tempera, acrylic, watercolor, and glazing. Images have been created with great detail, but without falling prey to soul-less photo-realism.
After many years courting this great artist, East West Fine Art is the only art gallery that represent him world-wide. With great effort we negotiated terms with Russian Customs for the permission to export his paintings from the country, as they are considered and protected as Russian national treasures. Plutenko’s rare originals and custom reproductions are now available at East West Fine Art in Mercato.
The symbolism behind “Madonnas of Modernity” by Stanislav Plutenko
The three Madonnas depicts the tectonic shift in the western world’s values. This is a very serious and philosophical subject matter, but the artist conveys his message in a subtle and humorous way.
The first woman values affluence above anything else. Historically, wealth was embodied in precious stones and metals. However, the wealth that she has strived for and accumulated – paper cash and the designer Hermes Birkin bag have no intrinsic value.
The second woman, instead of cherishing ancient sources of knowledge and truth, such as books, scriptures, or eternal carvings in stone is holding an I-pad. The I-pad symbolizes the ever-changing and seemingly unreliable stream of information.
The last Madonna substituted love and care for human children with adoration for her high-bred and status dogs. This woman symbolizes the retreat from the traditional role of motherhood for many women in our capitalistic/democratic societies.
The symbolism behind “Christ in the Desert” by Stanislav Plutenko
“Christ in the Desert” is a fantastic modern reinterpretation of a traditional artistic theme. Sitting at center among piles of rubbish and debris, a weary Christ appears in worn white and green robes. Christ does not engage the viewer, but gazes downward with a saddened expression. “This painting is how I see the second coming of Christ,” writes the artist. “War and urbanizations have ravaged the land, physically and spiritually. Who should be saved? Who will listen to the truth?”
The article appears in the January 2022 issue of North Naples News