”Narada”, oil on linen, 100×130 cm, 2016
A Methaphysical Search of the Self
Profoundness and singularity are probably the main art’s pillars of the Russian born British painter Arina Gordienko, one of the best of our time. She is known as a cutting edge creator and promoter of the Beauty and of Light of the human being, in a world terrified by disasters and the aesthetics of ugliness.
Using the ‘’sfumato’’ technique of Old Masters and a personal palette based on a few light colours and a dominant red (this colour is assimilated to the Beauty in the Russian tradition) to compose and build unique Self-Portraits transformed into timeless archetypes of the Beauty, Arina is always in a methaphysical search of the Self, a magical ritual to penetrate the Hierarchy of Light and to offer us an art rich in emotions and feelings.
Constantin Severin
”We’ve been here before”, oil-on-linen, 100x120cm, 2018.
November 7, 2018
Artist Statement
My style can be described as Imaginative Realism or Surrealism. It is quite a surreal combination of imaginative compositions and colours in my paintings – monochromatic figures surrounded by the red fabric. The images on my works are positioned in a surreal environment, in a middle of nowhere without any recognizable signs of any given time or place, or any other particular characteristics. Anything can be imagined behind the images on my paintings, any centuries, countries (real or surreal), any eye, or skin or hair colours or no hair at all. The monochrome palette helps me to bring certain anonymity to the image. My paintings are full of symbols helping me to convey my philosophy into my work. I would like to consider my work as performance of a human’s spirit movement that is going through awareness of sacred knowledge and trying to accomplish an ancient wisdom.
The colour red in my works has, from my very childhood, a deep meaning for me. In Russian language, particularly in folk’s fairy tales, the word ‘red’ has an equal meaning to the word ‘beautiful’. One of the best known Russian writers Fyodor Dostoevsky said ‘Beauty will save the World’, so I believe that in my works I transform my perception of the ‘red’ as ‘beautiful’ into a symbol of ‘saving the world’. Also, according to Tibetan philosophy, the colour red is a symbol of connection with the Universe, with everyone and everything at all levels of the entire world. Purpose of art is keeping the world in balance and harmony. It’s an honour, but also a huge responsibility to be an artist and all the artists are responsible for every single brush stroke we produce, for what we are bringing to the world within our creativity, I believe that images and objects created with passion can take an immense power, a powerful energy that can alter one’s mental state and even transform reality. We all create the world around us, and the more positive and beautiful art objects created today, the better will be the world to live in tomorrow.
Beauty will Save the World and Art is this powerful tool to bring the Beauty to the World – to save it.
”Apocrypha-of-Arina”-1_diptych-part-of-series_oil-on-canvas-100x130cm_2013-2017
Bio Arina Gordienko
Based in the UK Arina Gordienko is an internationally acclaimed artist often known as ‘ARINA’. She is awarded with the ‘Associate Living Master’ Status by prestigious Art Renewal Center (ARC) in USA and is recognized with more than 40 international prizes and awards in the UK, USA, Europe and Australia. Her paintings featured at venues such as Saatchi Gallery in London, Museum of Fantastic Art in Vienna, Museum of Modern Art Vittoria Colonna in Italy, Museum Complex of Dioscuri in Rome, Museum Sant’Oreste in Rome, Mall Galleries in London, Venice Arsenale in Venice and many others in the UK, USA, Australia, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, France, Germany, Check Republic, Belgium and India. She participated in events in London, Berlin, Milan, Buenos-Aires, San Francisco, Dallas, Moscow and Beijing. Her works are in private collections worldwide including ARC Museum, USA and OSTEN Museum of Drawing, Macedonia. Her works featured in numerous publications including Reinhard Fuchs’ book ‘Masterpieces of Visual Arts – The Great Female Artists from the Middle Ages to the Modern Era’ alongside works of Frida Kahlo, Georgia O’Keeffe, Bridget Riley etc., ‘Masters of Contemporary Fine Art’ in the UK, ‘Masters of Painting’ in the UK, ‘Strokes of Genius -4’ and ‘Strokes of Genius-6’ in USA. She graduated with Master’s Degree in Fine Arts at Chelsea College of Art and studied at Central Saint Martins College of Art, University of the Arts London, UK. She is a selected member of Society of Women Artists in the UK, Portrait Society of America and Art Renewal Centre in USA.
ARINA is passionately dedicated to renaissance of the realistic traditions in painting and widely proclaims revival of beauty in art. In her work she uses the old Masters classic ‘sfumato’ technique with her own contemporary essence. She developed her own significant and highly recognisable style, combining traditional classical techniques with surreal imaginative compositions and contemporary palette.
”Shard-of-Time”, oil-on-linen, 92-x-122cm,2012.
Affiliations
The Art Renewal Centre (ARC) USA
The Portrait Society of America (PSA) USA
The Society of Women Artists (SWA) UK
Representation
Gall’Art Roma Art Agency (Founder Giovanna Gazzolo), Rome, Italy
Recognition & Awards
2018 – Finalist, 13 International ARC Salon Competition, Art Renewal Center, USA
2017 – Finalist, 12 International ARC Salon Competition, Art Renewal Center, USA
2016 – Awarded ‘Associate Living Master’ status by Art Renewal Centre (ARC) in USA, Works included to the ARC Museum
2016 – Winner of Major 2nd Place Award, Berliner Art Prize, Germany
2016 – Honorary Diploma for ‘bright and remarkable contribution in the conservation and development of the artistic values in Modern Art’, Berliner Art Prize, Germany
2016 – Finalist, Portrait Society of America Only Members Competition, USA
2016 – Finalist, The Artist’s Magazine 33 Annual Art Competition, Portraits/Figures category, USA
2015 – Winner, ‘Strokes of Genius-7’ (out of over 2000 entries) International Drawing Competition, USA
2014 – Winner, 3d Place Award, ‘Outside the Box’, Portrait Society of America Members Only Competition, USA
2014 – Finalist, Art Gemini Prize, Painting category, London, UK
2014 – Finalist, BEEP International Painting Prize Biennial, Swansea, Wales, UK
2014 – Finalist, Connfuence’14 Art Contest, Gallery Art Eterne, New Deli, India
2013 – Finalist, Mortimore Art Prize, Surrealism Category, Australia
2013 – Winner, Award of Excellence, Lisa Cooper Elisa Contemporary Art Gallery Award, New York, USA
2013 – Winner, Award of Excellence, Renée Phillips Art Essay Award, New York, USA
2013 – Gold Award Winner, Master of Art International, Awards Ceremony, Mile End Art Pavilion, London, UK
2013 – Winner, 8 Showcase ARTslant Prize, Painting Category, International Juried Competition
2013 – Show Award Certificate, IAF 2013, International Art Festival, New York, USA
2012 – Special Award, OSTEN 40 World Gallery and Museum of Drawing Biennal, Skopje, Macedonia. Grand Prix for Life Achievement awarded to a legendary artist CHRISTO (USA), alongside with First Award for Concept to Vitaly Komar (USA), Award for World Cultural Heritage to Pablo Picasso. Works of winning artists included to OSTEN Museum of Drawing
2012 – 2-nd Merit Award, Portrait Society of America Members Competition, ‘Outside the Box’ category, USA
2012 – 4-th Merit Award, Portrait Society of America Members Competition, ‘Self-Portrait’ category, USA
2011 – Winner, 2-nd Prize at ‘Is it Fine Art? Challenging Traditions’, Pen and Brush Gallery, New York, USA
2011 – Winner, ‘Strokes of Genius-4’ (out of 1650 entries), International Drawing Competition, USA
2010 – Finalist (Top 10 out of over 3750 entries), Art of Giving National Art Competition, SAATCHI GALLERY, London, UK
‘Silence, Opus 3’ and ‘N I B I R U’ selected by a panel that included Gavin Turk, Christian Furr, Terry O’Neill and representatives from the Tate, Frieze, Scream and FAS London
2010 – Finalist, Arte Laguna Art Prize, Venice Arsenale, Venice, Italy
2010 – The Best Foreign Artist Mention, Arte Laguna Art Prize, Venice Arsenale, Italy
2010 – Special Prize Gagliardi Art Gallery, Arte Laguna Art Prize, Venice Arsenale, Italy
2010 – Special Prize Fiorella Pieri Contemporary Art Gallery, Arte Laguna Art Prize, Venice Arsenale, Italy
2010 – Winner, Trophy Award (Top 15 out of 5000 entries, 95 countries), London International Creative Competition, UK. ‘Wide Shut Eyes’ series awarded a Trophy by International Panel of 12 Judges at Award Ceremony, Soho Theatre, London
2010 – Winner, Best of 2010, People/Today Life category, Marziart International Gallery, Hamburg, Germany
2010 – Winner, EXPO-29 International Painting Competition, B.J.Spoke gallery, New York, USA. Juried by Cornelia Seckel, publisher ’The Art Times’
2010 – Winner, 6 Showcase ARTslant Prize, Painting Category, International Juried Competition
2010 – Finalist, Grant – ARTWORK International, Inc., Painting category, USA
2009 – Shortlisted (top 100 out of 1900 entries), BP Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery, UK. ‘Silence, Opus 3’ has been through the second round of selection for BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery among 100 works, out of which the judges make their very final selection of 56 paintings for the exhibition.
2009 – Winner, MFA Now Award, International Painting Competition, Miami/New York, USA
International panel of judges included Kay Saatchi, Edward Lucie-Smith, Judy Chicago, John Miley, Victoria Lu
2009 – Winner, 1st Place Award Full Brush International Competition, New York, USA. Pen and Brush Gallery. Juried and awarded by Margaret Kelly Trombly, President of the Forbes Art Collection
2009 – Winner, 2nd Prize (out of 14.000), Portrait/Figure, The Artist’s Magazine, USA
2009 – Face of ‘Art Liberating Lives’ National British Charity ‘Sue Ryder Care’, UK
Award winning painting ‘Silence, Opus 1’ by ARINA was chosen as Face of National British Charity Campaign
2009 – Finalist, Annual Painting Prize FRINGEMK, Milton Keynes, UK
2008, September – Legendary Artist GUSTAV METZGER visited ARINA’s MA Final Degree Show and purchased ‘Wide Shut Eyes-2’, painting, oi on linen, 165×190 cm. Gustav Metzger and ARINA were talking almost three hours and after their inspiring conversation Master purchased the painting. Gustav Metzger prefers to keep his painting at ARINA’s studio.
2008 – Winner, Anthony J. Lester Art Critic Award, SWA Annual exhibition, Mall Galleries, London, UK. Prize awarded by Lady Gabriella Windsor, daughter of Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent
2008 – Winner, 1st Prize (Out of 14.000) Portrait/Figure Students category, The Artist’s Magazine, USA
2008 – Winner, Public Choice Prize, National Open Art Competition, UK. Awarded by Kay Austin, the Arts Club, London
2008 – Winner, Visitor’s Choice Award, Cork Street Art Competition, London, UK
2008 – Shortlisted (Top 100), (top 100 out of 1650 entries), BP Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery, UK. Painting ‘Angel, Portrait of Angelica’ has been through the second round of selection for BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery among 100 works, out of which the judges made their very final selection of 55 paintings for the exhibition.
2008 – Shortlisted (Top 5 out of 1500 entries) Brenda Landon Pye Portrait Prize, London, UK
”Silence-Opus-3”, oil-on-linen, 110-x-145-cm, 2009.
”Renaissance-as-Augury”, 1_part-of-series, oil-on-linen, 92-x-122-cm, 2010
Exhibitions (selected)
2017 – ‘Art For a Little Brave Heart’ Fund-raising Exhibition for Charity ‘Gift of Life, Rossotrudnichsetvo, London
2017 – MAG Montreux Art Gallery, Switzerland, FIRST MAG Visionary Art Exhibition, with HR Giger, Ernst Fuchs, De Es Schwertberger, Martina Hoffmann, Brigid Marlin, Roku Sasaki
2017 – Mall Galleries – London, UK. SWA Annual Exhibition. Opened by SWA Patron Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent. Also – 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008.
2017 – LuxArt Contemporary and Modern Art, Luxembourg
2017 – Arte Genova, Exhibition of Modern and Contemporary Art, Genova, Italy, also 2016, 2015
2016 – Museum of Modern Art Vittoria Colonna, Biennale PESCAART, with Gall’Art Roma Gallery, Italy
2015 – Phantastishe Venus Biennale, Surrealism Art of 70 Women Artists, curated by Reinhard Schmid, Viechtag, Germany
2015 – ITINERA Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Museum Complex of Dioscuri, Rome, Italy. Curated by Giovanna Gazzolo, Gall’Art Roma, with support of Cultural Attaché of Russian Embassy and Spanish Embassy
2014 – BEEP International Painting Prize Biennial, Old Iceland Building/Elysium Gallery, Swansea, Wales, UK
2014 – Master of Art International, Margarita Feaks Gallery. Participated as an Invited Guest and Gold Award Winner of the Master of Art International-2013
2014 – Gemini Art Prize exhibition, Rebecca Cossack Gallery, London, UK
2014 – Connfuence’14 Art Contest, Gallery Art Eterne, New Deli, India
2013-2014 – Mortimore Art Prize – The very best in Realism, Exhibition touring around Australia, Venues include The Scots College Anderson Hall in Sydney, St Brigids Hall in Dubbo, The Stables Gallery in Mudgee, Kinross Wolaroi School in Orange, BDAS Gallery in Bowral, Dudley House in Bendigo and others in Brisbane, Geelong, Canberra and Central Coast
2013 – SOLO-Exhibition ‘ ARINA-The Theatre Of One Artist’, 20th Century Theatre, London, UK, April
2013 – Master of Art International Exhibition, The Art Pavilion Gallery, London, UK
2013 – Exhibition of Awarded Artists on World Gallery of Drawing, Gallery of Art Critics (Adria Palace), Prague
2013 – Museum Sant’Oreste, Rome, Italy, International Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Gall’Art Roma
2013 – The Peace Project, International Art Exhibition touring around the USA. Venues include Affair of the Arts and The Whole 9 Gallery in Culver City, California; Art Zone 461 in San Francisco, California; 29 Pieces in Dallas, Texas; Open House and Landmark Arts Building in Chelsea, New York
2013 – A Single Grain of Rice International Exhibition, Gallery Métanoïa, Paris, France
2013 – ‘Art That Lifts Our Spirits’, Manhattan Arts International, New York, USA
2013 – The Femail Project Exhibition, ARTicle Gallery, Birmingham, UK
2013 – Stars with Stars, Gall’Art Roma Gallery, Bacco in Tevere, Rome, Italy
2013 – ‘After the Monet’ group exhibition, Coningsby Gallery, London, UK
2013 – Touch of Women, International exhibition, Off the Wall Gallery, Wales, UK
2012 – Museum of Fantastic Art, Vienna, Austria, Uncommon Vision, curated by Prof. Philip Rubinov-Jacobson
2012 – Mall Galleries, London, UK, ‘Show me the Monet’ exhibition of BBC2 series
2012 – BEEP International Painting Prize, Elysium Gallery, Volcano Theatre, Wales, UK
2012 – OSTEN Award Biennial, 40 Gallery and Museum of Drawing, Skopje, Macedonia
2012 – Price Winners Show of Cork Street Open Exhibitions, Cork Street Gallery, London, UK
2012 – SOHO20 Gallery, New York, USA, ‘Backlash’ exhibition on women’s rights
2011 – The Passion for Freedom Art Festival, UNIT24 Gallery, London, UK
2011 – Pen and Brush Gallery, New York, USA, ‘Is it Fine Art? – Exhibition Challenging Traditions’, curated by gallerist and auctioneer Kenneth Hutter and auction appraiser Jennifer Elhardt
2011 – Pen and Brush Gallery, New York, USA, Award Winners Artists
2011 – Marseille Project Gallery, Marseille, France, curated by artist, gallerist, art-critic Lira Kay
2010 – SAATCHI GALLERY, London, UK, ‘Art of Giving’, with Banksy, Gavin Turk, Mark Wallinger, Terry O’Neill, Sir Peter Blake, Steve Goddard, Leonardo Drew, Christian Furr, Alexa Meade, Breezy Bailey, Zak Ove
2010 – ‘Arte Laguna’ Art Prize International Exhibition, Venice Arsenale, Venice, Italy
2010 – ‘Legende Celebrity Art in collaboration with Art of Giving’, Mayfair Gallery, London, UK, with world famous artists and photographers Gerard Mankowitz, Terry O’Neill, Danny Clifford, Allan Warren, Gavin Turk etc.
2010 – B.J.Spoke Gallery, USA, New York, EXPO-2010, juried by Cornelia Seckel, publisher The Art Times
2010 – Cork Street Gallery, London, UK, Open Art Competition, juried by Edward Lucy-Smith, also – 2009, 2008
2010 – Marziart International Gallery, Hamburg, Germany, ‘Best of 2010’ International Exhibition
2010 – Art Liberating Lives, Mall Galleries, London, UK, also – 2009, 2008
2010 – Marseille Project Gallery, Marseille, France, ‘Artist’s Portrait Futureproof’ International Exhibition
2010 – Occidental Dimension, Brighton University Gallery, Brighton, UK, touring show staged in three cities across China
2010 – The National Open Art Competition, National Festival Theatre, Chichester, UK, Judges headed by Gavin Turk, also – 2008
2009 – Pen and Brush Gallery, New York, USA, ‘Fall Brush’ curated by Margaret Kelly Trombly, the Forbes Collection President
2009 – ‘MFA Now’ Award Winner’s Exhibition, Praxis Art International Gallery, Miami, USA, juried by the international panel of judges, including Kay Saatchi, Edward Lucie-Smith and Judy Chicago
2009 – Brick Lane Bodhi Gallery, London, UK, Condensation – The Temperature is Rising, also – 2008
2008 – The First Biennial RBSA Open Portrait Award, The RBSA Gallery, Birmingham, UK
2008 – Exhibition of Prize Winners of National Open Art Competition, The Art Club, Dover Street, London, UK
2008 – Brenda Landon Pye Portrait Prize, London, UK, Red Room Gallery, Chelsea College of Art, London, UK
2008 – MA Fine Art Final Degree Show, London, UK, Chelsea College of Art and Design
2008 – MA Fine Art Chelsea Interim Show, London, UK, ‘Nearly Me, Nearly Now, Nearly Show’, Triangle Space
2008 – Marseille Project Gallery, Marseille, France, ‘Housewarming’ International Exhibition
2007 – XHIBIT-07 winners show, The Arts Gallery, Davies Street, London, UK, winners selected by Tom Hunter
2006 – Lethaby Gallery, London , UK, LANDMARKS, Central Saint Martins College of Art
1985-1993 – Variety of exhibitions in Russia including Regional Exhibitions at the State Art Museum of Zauralie
”Renaissance-as-Augury”, 4_oil-on-linen,_92-x-122-cm, 2012
Arina Gordienko, ARC Associate Living Master, MA, SWA, PSA
Website: http://www.arina-art.com
FB Page: http://www.facebook.com/ARINA.Art.OfficialPage
Twitter: https://twitter.com/arina_theartist
LinkedIn: ARINA Gordienko, MA, ARC, SWA, PSA
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ARINAtheARTIST
Instagram: @arina_gordienko_art
E-mail: arina@arina-art.com
Phone: +44 7783597928
Arina Gordienko in her studio
