Nadia Russ: NeoPopRealism
Posted: Saturday, July 30, 2005
by critic
Artworld
Artist Nadia Russ is a creator of the style in visual arts NeoPopRealism.
Dark blond, 6"2', withhazel eyes, she born in Ukraine in a Russian family. Her father - Ivan Maloletnev - dark hair, hazel eyes (Russian) was born in Moscow. Her mother - Vera Rekina - red hair, green eyes (Russian) was born in town of Volgograd.
In 1979 Nadia Russ moved to Moscow. In 1996-2000, she resided in the Bahamas. Since 2000, she lives in USA.
In 1993, she went back to Moscow where she had a very frustrating period: she got a home sick. She was missing New York. A famous song with words "...New York state of mind..." was about her. She was in the New York state of mind being in another part of the world. Nothing could make her happy, but she created and exhibited her artwork in Moscow: in Soyuz Tvortchestvo Gallery, Tri Doma Gallery, Auto Art Gallery, Bulgarian Culture Center...
A fter three sad years in Moscow, Nadia decided jump into an adventure. She planned a trip out of Russia. By some strange chance, she got into the colorful and blue-yellow-black country Bahamas, a country of the hight energy color and simplicity. In the Bahamas, she went through a psychological and color transformation. It happened naturally. The grayish colors and depressing subjects of her artwork gone: she was using the bright acrylic paint. This new media gave the new ideas and new inspiration.
She and Lesly Duncombe had organized her art exhibit in Freeport Art Center. Lesly, the owner of the Center made some special preparation: he took out all his stuff, painted the walls. A Russian artist in the Bahamas was the big deal. It was not surprising: Nadia Russ was the first Russian resident in the Bahamas.
She did not speak English yet. F or her it was the time of wild fun and... problems. And the reason of problems is the "cold war" propaganda against Russians. The Bahamians and other residents saw Nadia as a representative of the different, dangerous part of the world, world of KGB, money laundry and prostitution... In a couple of years these images gone. In the eyes of Bahamians, natives and investors from other countries, now she was "the best woman in the Bahamas" and "the classiest woman in the Bahamas"...
Her exhibit in Freeport Art Center (1997) was featured in the Freeport News newspaper with a big photo of Nadia and an image of the painting "Russian Breast Cancer." The Bahamas television, channel 13 showed an interview with Nadia in the evening's News. She was the Bahamian sensation.
She had showed her work in Port Lucayan Yacht Club owned then by Jack Chester, in Prestige Auto owned by Kurt Sawall... In the lobby of Xanadu hotel, Nadia Russ made her Art Gallery Club 13, which was listed for several years in the International section of the New York Gallery Guide. Mario Donato, a native of Naples, Italy and now resident of the Bahamas, operated by hotel Xanadu. He was a great support: Mario was a fascinating man of "NO PROBLEM." It was the great cooperation of two people who loved arts.
N adia Russ had an intellectual fun when challenged the Bahamas community. Her art exhibit with "Casual Erotic" opening-party was the local explosion. For conservative English community and religious Bahamians the word "erotic" was shocking as "sex". For Nadia, as an ex-resident of Russia, this word had the meaning of a "beauty of the human body," and carried none of a sexuality. The telephone of Mario Donato was hot: people from Port Authority called asking: what's going on?.. But Mario didn't worry. Only, passing by, he said Nadia: "Please don't let the tourists take their clothes off..."
Mario loved the way how she was bringing the life into the dead places, and trusted her. Nadia Russ had put on the hotel Xanadu entrance the big flag of Russian Federation. She was the only Russian o the Island, but an excellent, hight class woman reputation let her do everything her own, special way...
I t was time to move on. She sold her Bahamas' apartment on the water, and moved to NYC in 2000.
New York City... Millions of people, social diversity, all nationalities... After 40,000 people in the Grand Bahama Island it was too wild. Nadia, seamed, lost. But not for too long. She didn't forget that she's an artist. An art exhibit in online Gallery NowCulture.com was interesting. An organizer Barry Morgenstain was a celebrity photographer. After that, it was an exhibit in the NYC's club. The owner was confused when met Nadia. A Russian girl came from the Bahamas and was selling hotel "Xanadu." It was Mario Donato idea: he wanted get rid off all his property... Her exhibit in NYC's club was featuring in the NY Daily News newspaper's section "Today in New York" with words: "... bold and fanciful acrylics..." Her postcard named "New York" was featured there too.
In 2001 Nadia decided move from NYC to Ft. Lauderdale, FLA. After 4 years in the Bahamas, she could not stand the New York's winter. Some of her art work on paper she made in the Bahamas were images of antique cars. And Nadia exhibited these paintings in the Ft. Lauderdale Antique Car Museum.
F or many years question "What style your artwork belong to?" was the most confusing for her. In 2003, she decided to give a name to her art style. She created a new word, which had described her art - NeoPopRealism. What this word mean? A combination of the bright and colorful Pop Art with deep and psychological realism.
Nadia Russ presented this news (in 2004) in the New York Public Library, 96 St. Branch by exhibiting her artwork. In this time there was an article in the NEW YORK ARTS Magazine "Nadia Russ: NeoPopRealism." In "M" Magazine (TheNewYorkArtWorld.com) she gave an ad "Nadia Russ: NeoPopRealism. New style, new word. Manifesto."
I t was the moment in Nadia Russ life when she had completed her 15 years of the serious work in the field of art. She officially gave the birth to a new art style NeoPopRealism.
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