Lot 116: Sergei Volkov (Russian, born 1956) 'A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones', a diptych

'A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones', a diptych
signed and titled in Cyrillic and Latin on verso
oil on canvas
each 200 x 140cm x 55 1/8in).
(2)

Exhibited:
Berlin, Folker Skullima Gallery, 1989.

Literature:
Folker Skullima Gallery, exhibition catalogue, 1989, illustrated;
Sowjetische Kunst um 1990, Biennazionale, Düsseldorf-Jerusalem, exhibition catalogue, 1990, illustrated.

The offered diptych was painted by Volkov during a period spent in West Berlin in 1988. The artist was inspired by the construction of the Berlin Wall: the two walls with sand between. At the time, Volkov was working on a series of 'truism painting', whereby ideas for works were presented to him by materials and objects from the world around him, for example Cats (sold in these rooms on 31 May, 2007 The Russian Sale, lot 142) was prompted by the artist seeing two posters of cats on a wall in West Berlin.