While visiting an exhibition at Ashgabat’s Expo Center, I saw a series of paintings by Anna Annaev that caught my attention.
The focal point of his paintings is an endless expanse of the sky, so transparent and azure.The sky is so stunningly beautiful that it takes your breath away!
Natural Scenery’, a painting that opens the “Blue Series”, features the azure sky that merges into wavelike mountain slopes with a lake beneath, an odd-shaped peninsular resembling a pier.
Graceful horses are depicted peacefully grazing against the poetically scenic background.
- At first, I wanted the Akhalteke horses to look more realistic: with slim legs, long, flexible necks, strong and elegant build, Anna tells.But in that case, they would have been a dominant part of the paining, whereas I meant to emphasize natural harmony.
And I decided to paint stylized horses.Adding figures to a landscape painting always relies upon the artist’s clear understanding of what should be the focal point, otherwise the work would not communicate implied messages across to the viewer.
That is a basic rule in painting.
I cannot help but quote the Russian painter and art teacher Pavel Chistyakov: “A painting technique is the language of an artist; keep on developing it constantly while striving for perfection. You will never be able to tell people about your dreams, feelings and the beauty you have seen without it.”
While working on Natural Scenery’, I became so inspired that after I had finished it, I immediately began creating the second painting, and then the third one, Anna continues.
Ten Flying Cranes’ is the centerpiece of the series.The blue sky occupies the whole of the canvas.Delicate and gentle lines of clouds seem to closely mimic the rapid movements of the cranes’ broad wings.
The most difficult thing for the artist was to capture the motion of the soaring birds.
The “Blue Series” paintings are not the only ones, which delight both professionals and art enthusiasts alike.A painting simply entitled At the Maternity Hospital’ has a close association with Madonna.
It portrays a touching scene with a happy mother holding her newborn baby in her arms.The young woman steps solemnly and lightly as if walking on air.
She is surrounded by her relatives standing on tiptoe to take a close look at the baby.Emerald cloud-shaped pumpkin leaves on the ground add up to a harmonious whole.
Each detail of the painting is a hymn to Motherhood.
Anna Annaev was born in town of Tejen, where he attended the local art school.
- I studied much as a child both at comprehensive and art schools, he recollects. But I loved it because I enjoyed painting more than playing games or taking part in other activities.
My father encouraged me to pursue my passion.Although he himself had nothing to do with painting, he wanted me to become an artist and made every effort to help me to start my career.
After finishing the eight-year school, my father took me to Ashgabat to apply for admission to the art college.Later, I graduated from the Academy of Arts, the Theater Department.
I have created stage sets for two operas and twenty productions at the Magtymguly Music and Drama Theater.I still collaborate closely with the Theater, but teaching at the Academy is my current occupation.
My life has not changed greatly I still paint much, because painting is a lifelong learning process: my world view broadens, and neither my experience nor professional expertise can inhibit my artistic development. I would like to try my hand in different painting styles, hone my skills and rise to higher levels...
This can be illustrated with the following example: two poetic landscape paintings, which were made years apart and as if by two different artists, depict the same place.The two interpretations differ in style, expertise, emotion and experience, although they both portray an old, but well-preserved bridge.
The first was painted by the artist when he was a student.The second painting (which yet unfinished) was painted by the mature artist who thinks metaphorically.It does not concentrate on details, but rather abounds in meaningful subtexts.
Particularly notable is a distinctly quaint still-life painting by the artist showing a tea set and a plastic container for water.Its originality is in an optical illusion.
The painting features the objects that double when the viewer’s angle of vision changes and they seem more visually dynamic.Time will tell whether the innovation comes into use.
The artist has not exhibited the painting yet.Anna Annaev will probably produce a series of two-dimensional paintings and then will put them on display.
We hope that many professional and personal discoveries await the artist and are looking forward to his new works, original and poetic, innovative and stylistically exquisite that reflect the artist’s versatile inner world.