Artikel lesen

Those who are expecting that the pictures of the Jewish painter Valery Konevin is a process of coming to terms with the often depressing past of the Jewish people, have been wrong. Konevin’s paintings, which are cheerfully "polyglot" visions of his microcosm can be seen in the Stadttheater during the 5th International Festival of the Yiddish song.

In 1992 had Konevin already showcased his dreamy works at Siemens in Erlangen (the electronics giant is also supporting the current exhibition in Fürth). At the same time he had started his "rocketing” rise. Everything went quickly. Suddenly the "cosmic rider", as Siemens spokesman Jim Broome named him in the introduction was known internationally. His oil paintings, which are in bold, naive and bright colours, engage the viewer in their childlike directness and poignant gestures.

Born 1952 Konevin the brittle-charming "windbag" decided rather late to be a painter, although as a child he admirably was supported by his grandfather. He was a children's book illustrator and had a recognisably influence on Konevin’s art. 

The studying as engineer triggered the passion of the grandson for aircraft and so Konevin firstly earned his money with the construction of rockets. In the mid-80s, he broke with the bourgeois lifestyle and began his artistic career. The intensive examination of the space, soon also had marked his painting style.

Three periods are determing the work of the in Leningrad born and bred artist. The exhibition in Fürth doesn't focus on his earlier pure abstract phase, but rather on the following two periods. The change takes place smoothly, more and more the figuration is determining the composition. Konevin returns back to the human environment of the immediate vicinity. The immense joy at the luminosity of the colour let these images appear spontaneously and intuitively.

Long overstretched limbs are shooting upwards like rockets. Weightlessly floating and shaped by the wind are the people. In "the flying child", a child flies through the bright blue sky. A tribute to his first job?



Konevin’s poetic motifs reminding to the Russian painter Marc Chagall, who is often referred to as "the flying artist". Konevin, who lived in Israel, also puts his picture worlds upside down. Person and space will be put into question.

The flying figure appears again and again also in the Russian icon painting. So we are confronted by the artist's personal perspective as if it would be a strange and different culture. High dramatic, which is similar to the Yiddish song. An emotional roller coaster between grief and joy. Mirth and melancholy are the basic tenor.

In the current third phase, Valery Konevin developed a childlike provocative imagery. So is his newest bonbon coloured art work only still - or again - with the fingers painted. His painting technique is bold and superficial. Bright pink and pale blue dominate the slanting shapes. Somehow one gets to love these people.

Outstanding are the bright lips that are pressed together: Precisely thereby accrues an intense dialogue with the viewer. The faces appear openly, directly and look questioning. Frightened and anxious the big eyes are looking - they make you feel unsettled. These overly cheery pictures remind us of playing children, which throw colourful balls.