The exhibition is open on weekends till November 25th
Nikolai Silis
Centaurs
Nikolai Silis is a Russian artist, draftsman and sculptor, and an influential voice in
twentieth century Russian art.
Silis has always been a trail-blazer and an innovator, the master of unique artistic
expression. His art was not widely known or appreciated during the Soviet era
because it was out of step with the official aesthetic. Yet Silis, a powerhouse of
creative energy, labored on, undaunted by the realization that his works may never
reach the mass viewer.
In the late 1960s Nikolai Silis created a series of works devoted to centaurs.
He was inspired by the ageless Phidias, by John Updike’s unexpected visit to Silis’s
studio in Moscow, and by felt-tip markers, which had just become available in Soviet
Russia. Filled with Nikolai Silis’ s inherent warmth and sense of humor, the Centaurs
series was finished, when the last marker breathed its final breath.
Several of Nikolai Silis’ sculptures are installed on the grounds of TurnPark.