The Art of Leonid Afremov

THE subject of this blog is by way of a tribute to the work of the Jewish Russian artist, Leonid Afremov. I recently came upon his works of art online by accident and was immediately captivated by it. His art has blossomed since he left Russia for his ancestral homeland, Israel, and now he must be one of the most prolific and creative painters around, with a very distinctive style.

AFREMOV works in oil using a palette knife, not a paint-brush, to achieve striking and eye-catching visual effects,  and they certainly caught my eye! I suppose because the style of his artwork is very bold, very loud and very brash in many ways, you will either love it or hate it. One thing you cannot do is remain indifferent to it. I myself have fallen in love with its raw naked energy and that's why I am now sharing my passion for Afremov's art with you here.

APART from the strong use of a palette of bold colours that have an immediate impact on the viewer, one will easily perceive certain recurring themes: night-time scenes, long tree-lined avenues, kerbside lamp-posts lighting up the scene, lonely figures strolling on their own or as couples, and above all what I call the "wet look" everywhere. In a great number of Afremov's paintings it is either raining - umbrellas often bear witness to this - or it has been raining and the ground is sodden, often strewn with puddles. And this is where the light from the ubiquitous lamp-posts comes into its own as it is reflected back up off the stagnant rainwater or wet surface, producing a truly magical effect.

AS well as the all-pervasive rain theme in Afremov's art (and this is where he and I are in tune, since I love rain and its effects), and the failing light of day or eternal dusk, which enables him to exploit the effects of lamplight, there is also an air of loneliness or desolation in his pictures. A lone figure or couple is seen walking down a street or avenue otherwise deserted. They exude loneliness and isolation. This may be deliberate on the part of Afremov or just a consequence of his style of art but either way the effect is of a certain urban desolation in this strange twilight world where it is nearly always night and nearly always raining.

FOR me such recurring and somewhat haunting themes combined with the lavish use of striking colours, and the bold strokes of the palette knife that lay the paint on thickly, are a feast for the eye and the soul and I am very glad I stumbled across the art of Leonid Afremov. His fascinations are also mine and he has managed to put these into his art time and time again but in a thousand-and-one combinations which has resulted in some truly remarkable paintings.

THE above examples of his art are just a tiny sample of his vast range and the selection I've made is inevitably somewhat arbitrary and invidious, especially as he has produced such a large body of work, but they do give a good idea of what I'm talking about. For those who wish to acquaint themselves further with the art of this amazingly gifted artist, I suggest you put his name in an online search and there will be no shortage of results that pop up. And for those with some extra cash, it is possible to buy many of his works on the Internet. So happy hunting!

Stained Glass

Stained glass, especially on a window in a church or other public building, is something that captivates me. The colours, the patterns, the workmanship, the quality of the glass, all combine to produce a beautiful and entrancing effect. And though we still tend to associate stained glass with religious buildings, it is to be found in all kinds of edifices, including dwellings. Needless to say, I love to see it in churches and chapels and cathedrals and the like, and I feel that it really adds a certain awe that heightens the religious experience, but I also love to see it in lots of other environments. Below are four examples of non-religious stained-glass designs which are beautiful and powerful and charming in their own individual way.

For me, this example of a stained-glass window is magical. It combines stained patterns with plain glass which allows us to see through the window and at the same time adds natural colours to the magic of the design. It is an enchanting scene, full of movement, which of course changes with the change in the seasons. It is a successful marriage between the crafted design and the natural world and I love to stare at it and through it.

A more unusual stained-glass design with a clear African motif that conjures images of African tribal culture, carved figures and masks, face paint and other elements of African tribal art. It is a clever melding of one culture with another, both very distinctive and very different, yet it comes off beautifully and the end result is very pleasing. The colours are strong and uncompromising and represent the rawness of the society from which the inspiration has been taken.

This is another one of my favourites. It uses primary colours such as red, blue and green, to create a very pleasing colour composition that sets off beautifully the two doves which, although unstained, serve as a striking and effective contrast to the rest of the design. The overal effect is fresh and cool and effectively conveys the season. Apart from the bit of red and brown, one gets the sense of the cold season and the doves are a symbol of peace and hope.

Now this last composition is, I think, in sharp contrast to the previous ones. The amount of colour in it is minimal and subtle and creates a peaceful and reassuring effect, letting in at the same time plenty of light that gives life to the natural colours employed in this design. It is beautiful in its frugality and, if it graces the entrance to a home, it creates a charming initial impression and suggestion of the kind of ambience that might be expected within. Delightful.

The Clowns' Parade

like a flowing river of colour they make their way ~ from every corner of the land ~ a rainbow spectrum of every shade and hue ~ a cocktail of greens and reds and yellows and blues ~ of pinks and purples, colours light and dark ~ the clowns are coming to town ~ with drum and flute and cymbal ~ booming, whistling, clashing ~ with laughter and song and cries of cheer ~ they come in their thousands, mingling and mixing ~ parading and performing ~ a riot of colour, a medley of sounds ~ here come the clowns to brighten our day ~ joyous and jostling they come our way ~ the town is alive with sights and sounds, the town is alight with sparkle and spangle ~ the clowns are here and there and everywhere

"Hullo, my friend, it's been a while, but you still have that cherry stuck to your nose. Your hair is still red, your chin too, there's white round your eyes, and you wear a black hat, there's nothing that's new! "Well, you're right about that, the hair, the paint, the cherry and the hat. I haven't changed, but neither have you, we're just as we were, we're clowns good and true!"

Return of the Snow Years

After some years with virtually no snowfalls at either end of the year, the time when snow once used to fall unfailingly, the old pattern has returned and this past winter duly brought us snow, as it has done in the last few years, though never on the scale of a few notorious winters in the 1960s and 1970s. We're also getting very low temperatures and for lengthy periods, uncharacteristic for the time of year. It would seem that global warming has brought us local cooling, indeed, local freezing. The more global warming the planet gets, the colder the weather gets here!

In no time the street and our gardens were transformed into a winter wonderland of snow. It started coming down in the late afternoon, as the light was waning, intensified and carried on through the night. When I looked out of the window in the early morning with an air of expectation, I was not disappointed. There was already a thick white blanket of crisp snow covering everything and it was still coming down.

The amazing thing about snow is that it alters the nature of sound once it begins to settle. It muffles everything, so that sounds are quieter and gentler, even on the traffic-laden roads. In my back garden an eerie silence took hold, it was almost like another world where everything was muted, and the thicker the layer of snow got the more marked was the silence. It felt other-worldly.

It continued to snow into the afternoon. The sky was a mournful grey, which added to the feeling of 'other-wordliness', a strange surreal landscape that could not fail to leave you broody and sullen. From my desk where I worked I was able to look out of the window and watch it all happening and from time to time I could not resist opening the window slightly and breathing in the cool fresh air that was so invigorating.

As evening fell, it was all over. Everything was still and a piercing cold reigned. The next morning was a vista of white but there was no fresh fall of snow. However, the fallen snow was to linger on for some days to come, gradually turning into slush and ice or disappearing altogether. The side-roads and pavements became treacherous with ice and now we only wished that it would all go away! Our gardens and parks, however, continued to slumber under their largely undisturbed covering of snow for a few more days and the inevitable snowman suddenly sprung up in the nearby park.

Homo Modernus

Is this paradise or what? Would you like to bathe in those balmy tropical waters? Take a nap in the shade of those palm trees? Roll about on that smooth golden sand washed by the said balmy tropical waters? Wake up every morning to a radiant sun set in a clear blue sky? Be lulled by the soothing sounds of a gently lapping sea? Fill your lungs with the clear invigorating air of a pollution-free environment? Be greeted by sweet birdsong echoing through the trees? Revel in the sights and sounds of natures' bounty? In short, would you turn away the chance of living on a paradise isle like this away from the hustle and bustle of teeming humanity? What's that you say? You would? Well, strangely enough so would I!

If you have answered yes to my question above, then you already know that the reality of it is that after a few hours of finding yourself on such a paradise island, hunger pangs would kick in and then what would you do? It's bad enough not having any toilet facilities but feeding yourself would be a major problem. With no McDonald's or Burger King in sight, the prospects of survival of a typical modern city-dweller would be pretty bleak. With no hunting or cooking skills (let alone cooking utensils) to speak of, any wildlife that might be on the island would probably be uncatchable and/or uneatable. Most plant life would as likely be inedible or even downright poisonous. And then there are the tropical storms, hurricanes and cyclones that would probably hit the island every so often. Before long you would sicken and, with no medical supplies or care, die. End of paradise existence! Would you still like to live on a paradise isle like this, be it with your significant other?

If you have turned down the chance of living on a paradise island as depicted in the first photograph, then I think I have just the thing for you. In this second photo we have again a paradisiac image just as lovely as the first one but this time we have all the mod cons that we cannot do without, or at least that we think we cannot do without. Modern toilet facilities are of course a must. A full food catering service is also a must. Comfortable accommodation is also in the same category. With all that in place we are ready to enjoy ourselves and make the most of the island's natural charms. If, that is, we can tear ourselves away from the tv, the swimming-pool, the bar, and any other amenities that are meant to make our stay as pleasant as possible.

The one catch of course is that in this alternative setting and set-up your time in such idyllic surroundings would be limited to the size of your bank balance. For most people this does not stretch to beyond two weeks as a maximum. In no time at all you would be back to your routine along with millions of other individuals fighting the good fight to survive in the frenetic and frenzied modern world that we have created for ourselves. And maybe it's just as well. Too much of a good thing ruins a person's character and turns them into a mere toy. Suffering, or at least a little hardship, is good for the soul. And in any case Paradise is for when we die... assuming of course we don't get sent down to that... that other place. Now that would be just too bad, wouldn't it?

A Carpet of Gold

Isn't the above scene absolutely gorgeous? There's no mistaking the season. A golden carpet of fallen leaves proclaims that it is autumn and it is the dying manifestation of the final days of warm weather before the harsh winter begins to set in. Though the ground is strewn with withering leaves, the trees still have many to shed, but it will now be just days before they completely lose their autumnal coat of gold and stand bare in readiness for the cold winter winds and rains and, who knows, even snow.

I took this picture one late afternoon at the beginning of November. The weather was still pleasant though there was a slight chill in the air. The low rays of the sinking sun cast a magical spell on the park, bathing it in soft mellow tones of yellow and gold, highlighting the gold of the leaves even more. And, as one see, there was hardly a soul in sight, most people still at work or at home having their afternoon tea, or maybe not, but whatever the reason, it was quiet and soothing and lovely to see.

After taking these photos and a few others, I just stood still for a moment, bathed in the golden light of the sun, enjoying the vista around me, revelling in the silence, and breathing in the freshening air of the afternoon as it slowly turned into evening. This was the big city and yet in this quiet corner of Nature I could easily have been in the depths of the countryside were it not for the sight of the houses that lined the perimeter of this green space. Gradually, with the waning sun, the rich autumnal shades and colours began to merge into the darkening background, and it was time for me to leave. But I had captured the images I had come for (two of which are shown above).

Awestruck

There are some sights which are so beautiful, so wondrous, that they leave you staring at them open-mouthed. That's the effect the picture below has on me. This pure white wilderness, stretching as far as the eye can see, seemingly untouched by man, is a scene of absolute peace and calm. You can almost feel yourself breathing in the exhilaratingly cold fresh air deep into your lungs. The scene has a reassuringly permanent and unchanging quality about it. How long it will be before the hand of man brings an end to its changeless permanence is anyone's guess but that will be a sad day.

I feel a similar but different effect when I look at this second photo. The similarity is in the clean fresh purity of the scene, the difference is the movement taking place here. A powerful churning sea flows between the ice. You can almost sense the force of the body of water pounding against the mass of the ice floes. There is beauty here as in the previous image but there is also motion, force, energy. This scene does not have the reassuring permanence of the other one. There is no calm here. It is just a matter of time before the ice is broken up, worn down, and swallowed by the water.

Two powerfully striking scenes, both awesome in their own way. The first is a vast open landscape that transmits an air of permanence and total tranquillity. The second, equally awesome, is a depiction of the powerful forces of Nature, the foaming sea tirelessly pounding the ice that we know will eventually yield to the surging waters. In both instances we are awestruck by the beauty and energy of the natural world, a world which we are now all too aware is under threat from man's deleterious activities from one end of the planet to the other.

Rain, rain, don't go away!

I just love rain! Love it, love it, can't get enough of it!! Well, ok, I might be overstating things a bit, but you get the idea. I love to watch rain coming down, especially when it's really heavy - not the boring old drizzle which just drags on all day and outstays its welcome. A really good torrential shower, nice and noisy, and even better if there's a strong breeze blowing it sideways or in sheets. It's so thrilling to watch.

Just take a look at the photo above and you'll see what I mean. The countryside landscape has been transformed by rain. The heavens have opened up and puddles have formed on the ground. Everywhere it is refreshingly wet and the rain keeps coming. And the combination of rain and gusting wind is awe-inspiring and is heightened by the sight of trees swaying in the wind.

A windswept stormy day in the countryside is an undisputed delight but there is little to beat a full-blown thunderstorm in town. Just cast your eye on the photo below. Isn't it magical? An ordinary uninspiring urban side-street has been transformed into a phantasmagoria of exciting sights and sounds.

The car headlights help to impart a certain magic to the falling rain and the wet road surface . For me, the rain, the fading daylight and night-time illumination combine to create a fascinating feast for the eyes. Add to this the beguiling sounds of heavy rainfall and you have the perfect recipe to delight the senses.

Unfortunately few people appreciate rain, even if they acknowledge its necessity, and I think it is because our culture has conditioned us to automatically dislike and complain about it. If people were to look at it objectively, it might be seen in a very different light. True, it is not very pleasant if you're caught out in a heavy shower, without a brolly and with some distance to walk before reaching shelter. But apart from understandable instances such as this, we should learn to appreciate what rain means for all of us and what's more to actively enjoy it. When it rains, cold weather becomes milder and hot weather cooler. There's a freshness in the air. The sight and sound of rain is restful and comforting. In hot weather, it's a joy to walk in the rain in as little clothing as propriety will allow and it's heaven to go swimming outdoors and feel the rain on one's bare skin. And finally rain is the indisputable giver of life - all earth's fauna and flora need it to survive.

So, since we need rain for our very survival, we might as well learn to delight in it when it occurs and to welcome it with open arms and stop whingeing that it's raining again. If it did not rain for some time, we would soon change our tune and be willing to perform Indian rain dances to get it to fall on us again. But, as they say, what you have you don't appreciate. You have to lose it first before you miss it and long for its return.