Lot 260: Sergei Volkov , Russian b.1956 Two works from the series GREY ICONS , 1995 oil on canvas

each signed in Cyrillic and dated 1995 (on the reverse) oil on canvas

measurements each: 19 3/4 by 15 3/4 in. alternate measurements 50 by 40 cm

Collection of L. Zvezdochetova

PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE EUROPEAN COLLECTION
Sergei Volkov's oeuvre makes reference to a broad spectrum of artistic styles, ranging from Socialist Realism to Op Art. He also deploys the iconography of posters and public signs, both of which had an important presence in everyday life in the Soviet Union. However, his works divorce these signs and symbols from their original context. As Volkov explained, "In my works, the forms are simplified to a considerable extent. I preserve things that don't cause any excitement, for example posters or visual advertising. They have penetrated so deeply into our lives that they no longer attract us in any way. But it is precisely these forms and shapes that I make use of, all these signs, symbols, patterns that have lost their original meaning."