— I am a great artist with a capital X.

Chief Outrageous Russian scene Sergei Shnurov never ceases to delight fans and sympathizers with odious antics, brightest images, topical lyrics and, what is there to hide, excellent music. He is beautiful in his dissimilarity to others, bold, effective, of course, talented. But few people know that Cord's work is not limited to the stage, and even those who are gaining recent times the popularity of thoughtful quotes is by no means the limit of its possibilities. deserve no less attention from everyone who is close to the hooligan spirit of "Leningrad" and all contemporary art in general.

What is brand realism?

Do not be surprised if you have not heard of such a direction in art. Sergey Shnurov is an artist whose paintings are a kind of standard of brand realism. And all because he himself brought out the main concept, and he came up with the name. It was based on a kind of protest against the development of the conjuncture and the dominance of certain brands in mass consciousness. Each of his paintings has either a symbol or an allusion to a particular brand, from oil products to belief in higher powers.

Brand in art and art as a brand

It is worth mentioning one more artist, whose paintings, if they did not become the main source of inspiration for Shnurov, then in any case they have much in common. We are talking about on the canvases of which we can see Marilyn Monroe, cans of popular soup, Superman, Mao and Lenin, Coca-Cola ... What unites these images? All of them, according to the artist, are brands. Just like Warhol himself. Like all art in general.

However, the idea of ​​ridiculing the prevalence of the material over the spiritual is not at all new. It's all as old as the world. Many artists have turned to this idea, Warhol and Shnurov are not alone. But the artist Sergei Shnurov is the first who managed to put everything together and formulate it in such a way that everyone would understand.

Word to the author

“The apocalypse is near,” Cord assures. Voicing the author's manifesto, he argues that it's time to stop drinking kvass, you need to decide as soon as possible. Paintings by Sergei Shnurov - an attempt not only to ridicule addiction individual citizens from window dressing and vanity, but also a kind of reminder of the frailty of being. The artist frankly mocks the worship of the Golden Calf in general and brands in particular.

These ideas also find a response in the singer's work: in his texts and videos. Yes, take at least the famous Louboutins.

Path to art

The rebellious image of the artist is easy for him, and that's why it turns out so organic. But he does not allow to see what the artist skillfully hides behind rude lyrics and spitting on etiquette. But Shnurov is not at all a poorly educated dork with an eternal hangover syndrome. Behind him are the Leningrad Civil Engineering Institute, the famous "putyagi" (lyceum, where he acquired the specialty of a restorer) and the philosophical faculty of the Theological Institute.

Painting attracted the artist for a long time. By the way, one of the first musical groups, which he headed while still a schoolboy, was called Van Gogh's Ear. And Cord began to draw in his native St. Petersburg.

First exhibition

Paintings by Sergei Shnurov first appeared before the public in the St. Petersburg gallery "Fine Art". According to the artist, an old friend, an artist, helped him in this, and he himself did not have to make any efforts. The exhibition was called “Exclusive Brand Realism”. A small gallery contained only eight paintings, which were chosen by the artist himself.

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The exhibition of paintings by Sergei Shnurov attracted many visitors. His paintings are quite diverse. Many of them can even be called provocative.

For example, the canvas "Do not steal" tells sad story about the kitten who died near the Bosch refrigerator. Apparently, there was an attempted theft of food and some kind of accident, which resulted in a very impressive pool of cat blood.

The panorama depicting the Spit of Vasilievsky Island is also very curious. They smoke high with torches, but the water is dark because of the oil that has spilled over it. Take a closer look - and you will understand that there is no water at all, the oil has completely absorbed it.

Some of Sergei Shnurov's paintings are outright parodies. For example, his interpretation of Matisse, adorned with the eloquent signature "In the Hermitage". Well, or a black rectangle, clearly referring to the work of Kazimir Malevich.

Of course, it could not have done without those “below the belt”, it could not have been otherwise - it simply would not have been Cord. The capacious name "Act" speaks for itself - the act of physical intimacy is really depicted on the canvas in all its glory. By the way, visitors to the exhibition were given the opportunity to purchase this painting for 30 thousand dollars.

Expert opinion

In the autumn of 2016, on the eve of the upcoming exhibition of Shnurov's paintings "Brand Realism Retrospective", an interview with Mikhail Piotrovsky, director of the Hermitage, was published. According to him, Shnurov is definitely a bright figure in contemporary art. Piotrovsky, who saw a serious talent in the canvases, urged not to consider the artist's work as pop art.

The opening of the exhibition is scheduled for February 1, 2017. This time it will take place in the gallery contemporary art Erarta. But who knows, perhaps someday we will see paintings by Sergei Shnurov in the Hermitage? Still, one can endlessly argue about his work, but one thing is undeniable - he still made his contribution to St. Petersburg art.

Group leader "Leningrad" Sergei Shnurov organized his personal exhibition "Brand Realism Retrospective" at the Museum of Modern Art Erarta. The key theme is the relationship between man and thing.

Sergey Shnurov works in the brand realism style, the concept of which is the dominance of the brand over people. This direction Shnurov himself proclaimed back in 2007. A retrospective that runs from February 9 to April 9, celebrates the 10th anniversary of the new trend.

“According to the postulates of brand realism, man XXI century is surrounded not by pure phenomena, but only by products-brands generated artificially. He dresses in brands, eats brands, moves around on brands,” the annotation to the exposition says.

Sergei Shnurov in the world art by no means a newbie. He began painting in the mid-1990s. First, the canvases were exhibited in St. Petersburg, and in 2010 for the first time in the capital, in the gallery fine art, which was facilitated by a friend of Sergei - an artist Dmitry Shorin. Then the exhibition was called "Exclusive Brand Realism" and represented 8 paintings of the musician. According to Sergei, the gallery is small, so how many paintings fit there - so much he exhibited. Thereafter Sergei Shnurov exhibited his work in many Russian galleries dealing with contemporary art.

“Brandrealism is the replacement of true reality with reality made. You are what you eat, what you wear and what car you drive. The inner essence of a person fades into the background. It is the brand that defines the present human face. Self-expression occurs through commitment to the brand”, - Sergey Shnurov

In his works, Sergei Shnurov ironically over the dependence of people on brands, not only in clothes, cars, drinks, but also on public figures. In each picture, you can find and recognize either a symbol or a projection of a popular brand: from oil to religion.

“Brandrealism is not exactly a direction, it is a perspective, a point of view. The main feature is reflected in the song "Exhibit": nothing is nothing, and everything can become that exhibit in the world of contemporary art" - Sergey Shnurov

It is worth noting that the art objects presented at the exhibition were not made by the hands of Sergei Shnurov, but by his imagination: “Through personal negotiations and selection, I chose three associates. And with these three associates, I did it with their hands. Basically, I'm an artistic director."

To questions from journalists about the meaning of certain works Sergei Shnurov answered clearly and strictly. And to be more precise, he didn’t answer: “If I wanted to tell something, I would definitely tell: with the help of instagram, I would make an annotation there. Apparently, I don’t want to tell anything, and this statement is enough for me as an answer.”

In the year of the 20th anniversary of the Leningrad group, its leader Sergei Shnurov made a real gift for his fans: the outrageous musician opened a personal exhibition at the Erarta Museum in St. Petersburg. Among the exhibits are paintings and art objects made in the genre of "brand realism": this direction was invented by Sergei himself 10 years ago. As part of the exhibition, Shnur tried to show people's dependence on famous brands and brands without which not a single day goes by modern man. The main exhibit of the exhibition, according to the musician, was his favorite brand - Sergey Shnurov himself.

"Brands are everywhere"

On February 9, the Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art opens an exhibition of Sergei Shnurov "Retrospective of Brand Realism". The exhibition includes paintings and art objects that show the life of a modern person in the world of famous brands. The concept of "brand realism" was coined by the leader of the "Leningrad" group 10 years ago. According to the musician, in the 21st century, a person is surrounded not by pure phenomena, but exclusively by branded products, without which life is no longer possible: for example, people turn to the Wikipedia brand for new knowledge, and an expensive car or the latest iPhone becomes an object of dreams, and that’s it. emotions come down to brands only.

Sergei himself sees brands in absolutely all items. “They are in everything,” says the musician. - Putin, Russia, mother - all these are brands. For 10 years I have been shouting that Sergey Shnurov is also a brand. Everyone knows me."

The musician came up with the concept of "brandrealism" 10 years ago. Photo: AiF / Yana Khvatova

The idea to embody his thoughts on this subject in one exposition visited Shnurov for a long time. "Leningrad" has long ceased to exist in the media space without a visual range, - explains the leader of the group. “The visual accompaniment in the form of an exhibition has become a logical continuation of my work.” With the help of Instagram, Sergei chose several associates for himself, who helped him create paintings and installations. The musician himself calls himself an artistic director.

From Milonov to Zemfira

Shnurov showed the most famous Russian and foreign brands in his art objects. So, the musician depicted a can of Coca-Cola in the form of a coffin filled with sugar cubes. "Like" in in social networks is made in the form of male genitalia, and the installation "Russian End" appears in the form of three taps of samovars on a different background - white, gold and red. A separate part of the exhibition is dedicated to national music. The installation of an empty glass and dark glasses Cord called succinctly: "Leps-spel." Behind the door of the golden wardrobe hangs a portrait of Stas Mikhailov, the favorite of women of Balzac age - this is the art object "Iconostasis". Against their background, a huge knitted fabric stands out, on which Zemfira is depicted. “I knitted myself,” Sergey boasts. - I took the knitting needles in the business class of the plane and go!

The coffin in the form of a can of Cola is filled with sugar cubes. Photo: AiF / Yana Khvatova

Among the media people, Shnurov did not ignore Vladimir Pozner, in whose program the musician previously presented himself not with better side. Sergey placed the portrait of the TV presenter behind the blinds and called the object "And it will pass." In the center of the hall is an installation of the letters of Dmitry Medvedev's phrase: "There is no money, but you hold on." Some of the letters of the expression have already fallen on their side.

Shnurov decided to show his talent as an artist in several paintings presented at the exhibition. The heroes of the pictures of the leader of "Leningrad" were the heroes of the clips of the group, the deputy Vitaly Milonov and, of course, Sergey himself. In one of the paintings, Cord depicted his native Petersburg: on canvas, an overweight man in a bathing suit hovers over the historical center of the city. The picture is called "Light Hangover".

In the painting "A slight hangover" a man flies over St. Petersburg. Photo: AiF / Yana Khvatova

Beauty is not worth looking for

Shnurov asks the audience not to look for aesthetics or beauty at his exhibition: the musician set himself completely different goals. “Romance has remained in past centuries, and we live in the 21st century,” Sergey emphasizes. - I will not say why I created this exhibition, why it is needed: this is my internal instruction. I like this exhibition because it is mine. It's enough".

The leader of "Leningrad" expects to look at his creative work will come to a wide audience. For his part, the musician promises to try himself in new areas and continue to surprise his fans. Sergei is pleased with all the exhibits at the exhibition, without exception, but he refuses to comment on their meaning: “Everything I wanted to say, I have already said in my works,” cuts off Shnurov. Sergei does not have a favorite painting or installation either. “The exhibit is non-static,” the musician believes. - The main feature is reflected in the song of the same name: nothing is nothing, and everything can become that exhibit in the world of contemporary art. At this exhibition, the main exhibit is me!

Sergey Shnurov's exhibition "Retrospective of Brand Realism" can be seen at the Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art until April 9. A visit to the exhibition is included in the price of a ticket to the museum.

People who are closely familiar with the work of Sergei Shnurov know that music is not the only form artistic expression which he is using. The leader of "Leningrad" has another passion - painting. Erarta, the most informal museum in St. Petersburg, will soon open personal exhibition his works. The direction in which Cord works, he himself calls the coined term "brand realism", and his signature and most recognizable painting is "Shirt" with the emblem of Dolce & Gabbana. However, Shnurov is far from the only public person who skillfully handles a brush and paints. HELLO.RU presents a selection of 15 celebrities who could well become professional artists.

Text: / Photo: PA Images, Instagram, Legion-media, Personal archives, SplashNews/Gallo Images RUS

Prince Charles

Prince Charles while working on location, 1998

Prince Charles is an enthusiastic collector and gardener, philanthropist and traveler. However, not many people know about another hobby of the Prince of Wales - painting. Charles began to paint watercolors in the 70s, in impulses of inspiration and guided by his own intuition. Later, he managed to communicate and learn from the experience of real masters of their craft - British artists Brian Organ and Derek Hill. Sources close to the royal house say that the prince regularly takes up brushes during his days off, paints outdoors and finishes paintings in one breath. The first time the paintings of Prince Charles were presented to the public in 1977 at Windsor Castle. In 2013, Charles held an exhibition Life in Pictures, presenting 130 of his best watercolors, which depict the landscapes of the Balmoral and Sandringham estates, as well as paintings painted during his visits to Greece, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkey and other countries.

"What I write is the state of my soul," says actor Anthony Hopkins about his work. Looking at his works - from gentle pastel paintings to figurative portraits in the "horror" genre, sometimes you are surprised that one person can possess such a range of skills.

For the past few years, I've been drowning in peace. I suppose people can observe this state of my soul, - Hopkins tells about himself. “However, in my youth I was a completely wild, loose boy. Van Gogh type. My life has been a real storm. And although Anthony Hopkins himself compares himself with Van Gogh, in his works one can trace more "Picassian motifs". By the way, it was this artist that he once (in the film "Live Life with Picasso" in 1996) had a chance to play in a movie.

Vanessa Paradis by Johnny DeppPortrait of Keith Richards Johnny Depp has been painting for over 30 years. Whether the first wife, the artist Lori Ann Ellison, had a hand in his formation in this craft is not known for certain. It can be assumed that if the union had lasted longer than two years, we would certainly have heard about their creative tandem. Depp's second wife, Vanessa Paradis, also became his muse, one of her most famous paintings he dedicated to her. There are other portraits in the collection of Depp's works, for example, Marlon Brando, Bob Dylan, Keith Richards and Patti Smith.

The work of Macaulay CulkinActor Macaulay Culkin's life has been one of chaos for the past 10 years - with drugs, rock 'n' roll and suicidal tendencies. Paintings are part of this chaos. Macaulay began to create in 2012, having formed the creative union Three Men and a Baby with fellow musicians.

Each of us had our own ways of expressing ourselves, and here we found that drawing together is fun. This process creates a special brotherly bond between us, and it's wonderful, - said Macaulay.

The canvases of Macaulay and his friends are full of colors: from fluorescent to dark dirty, some images are more like collages with meaningless and contradictory elements, however, a number of plots can still be guessed.

Lucy Liu painting

Most people know Lucy Liu as one of the "Charlie's Angels", but in a narrow circle she has the fame of a talented abstract artist. Lucy draws for a long time and exhibited a lot - however, not under her own name, but under the pseudonym Yu. Lin. A few years ago, Lucy first made herself known by arranging an exhibition of her work in London, and then releasing a book with her paintings.

For Jim Carrey, painting is a kind of psychotherapy. Most often, Kerry portrays people, but makes the figures and faces broken, distorted.

When I'm in creative process, whether it's cinema or painting, the world around me stops. Acquaintance with works of art- this is the same chance for the viewer to stop thinking and forget about anxiety,

He told himself.

James Franco was born into a family of artists and maybe that's why he doesn't take his talent seriously. "Mom thinks that I'm a good actor, and an average artist," Franco says about himself. Meanwhile, his work inspires others. So, one of Franco's paintings was acquired by Sharon Stone for her collection, and the director of the film "The End of the World" hung the entire room of the protagonist of the tape with Franco's psychedelic paintings.

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney

Yellow Linda with piano is one of Paul McCartney's most famous paintings.Paul McCartney held his first exhibition 17 years ago, now he has dozens of them, and the geography of museums inviting him extends from Liverpool to Kyiv. The most notable work musician - Yellow Linda with Piano, dedicated to ex-wife Linda McCartney. According to the "Beatle" himself, at one time he could not even think about drawing due to his emotional tightness. He got rid of this complex by his friend, the American abstract artist Willem de Kooning. One day they were looking at the paintings together, and McCartney cautiously asked: "What is depicted here? The Purple Mountain?" "Actually, it's a couch." The friend's response, according to McCartney, made him understand that there is no "right" in art, and this helped him to release his creative urges.

Marilyn Manson's work
"The Great and Terrible" Marilyn Manson began to draw in his 20s, about the same time he began to sing. In connection with the development musical career, he slowed down a little, but did not even think of giving up painting - all the more, he saw it as a real outburst of his emotions and "demons". The first exhibition of Manson's work was held in 2002, in the next few years he held three more. Now psychedelic watercolor work Manson actively "walk" at auctions: prices for some paintings reach 50-100 thousand dollars.

Bob Dylan painting

This year legendary musician, writer and actor Bob Dylan was awarded Nobel Prize in literature, but not least he can be proud of his talent as an artist. Dylan wrote his first "watercolors" in the 60s, when he was lying at home, recovering from car accident. Drawings attracted the attention of the general public in the 90s, Dylan even released a compilation album Drawn Black. The first exhibition was held later - in 2007, for which the musician prepared about 300 new works. Art materials The materials with which Bob Dylan works are diverse: pastel, gouache, oil, watercolor, acrylic, pencil, and his style and manner are close to the works of neo-expressionists.

Tim Burton is not only a director, but also a great artist. His sketches (this is the genre he prefers) can be compared in gloom with his own films. By the way, Burton's film career also began with the creation of animation, he studied at the California Institute of the Arts, and then worked at the Walt Disney Studios as an animator and character designer.

Painting by Sergei Shnurov "Shirt"

As we have already said, a large exhibition of paintings by Sergei Shnurov will soon take place at the Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art. In one of the interviews, the leader of "Leningrad" admitted: once, in "pre-musical" times, he was fed paintings - he made and sold copies of Dutch artists. He calls his current work brand realism, without going into the details of his own genre.

Renata Litinova

painting by Renata Litvinova

A talented person is talented in everything, this expression perfectly describes Russian actress and director Renata Litvinov. At business meetings, you can often see paper and a pen in her hands.

I love to draw very much. The next thing I like to do after directing is drawing. We need to find a teacher, take lessons in classical drawing. I saved this experience for my retirement, - Renata said in an interview.

Renata's favorite theme is women in retro style, as well as women, each in her own image. Many of Renata's paintings, as noted by her fans, look like self-portraits.

Diana Arbenina showed interest in drawing quite a long time ago. Once she started with graphic illustrations for her own poetry collections, then a short period of passion for watercolors followed. Finally, in 2006, Diana settled on the technique of painting in oils on canvas, without using a brush.

In my spare time from music former soloist"Guests from the Future" Eva Polna devotes to dancing and drawing. If she prefers to move in the rhythm of tango, then when she takes up the brush, she prefers landscapes. Someone will call the pictures of the singer "unprofessional", but we see the warmth and positive that they radiate.