DECADENT ILLUSTRATORS

SERIES OVERVIEW:

     

    This series attempts to showcase material by artists whose work might be described as 'decadent' in its style or subject matter.
    It does not intend to give anything other than the briefest of biographical overviews (though references for such are given within each entry). It instead aims to present a short selection of illustrations  which are either typical of the artists work or  perhaps illustrate a text or theme that falls within the remit of the series.
    We welcome suggestions or contributions to this ongoing series.

VANIA ZOURAVIOV

INTRODUCTION

     Here is a selection from this Russian artist now residing in the U.K. His work is an interesting mix of innocence and decay (classic decadent themes) and cites the early influence of 'The Bible', Dante’s 'Divine Comedy', early Disney animation and North American Indians as inspirations. The images here also show the influence of Matthias Grünewald and Franz Von Bayros - the latter long overdue an appearance on these pages.

    In an interview here  he says "Death is constantly present in one form or another. Our opinions about death change throughout our lives; some people choose to acknowledge or tame it, and some do their best to ignore or block it out. I celebrate death together with everything else—people, trees, roots, bones, veins, all turning into one another—as a reminder of how short life is." He also speaks of some of the symbolism within the works.
 
    A catalogue is available from Gestalten here. I am also grateful to his agents  Bigactive.com for allowing his work to be shown here.

VANIA ZOURAVLIOV


 A SELECTION OF IMAGES