Dmitry Gretsky together with Evguenia Kats

Gretzky Kats Dmitry Gretsky and Evgeniya Kats were born in St Petersburg. They live and work in Toronto and St. Petersburg. They graduated the N. Rerikh College of Art (1989) and the I.E. Repin St. Petersburg State Art Institute (1995). They are founders of the Sgraffito artistic alliance (1989) and the ArtvilleAcademy in Toronto (1999). They have been members of the Russian Union of Artists since 1996. In 2009 Gretsky was nominated for the Kandinsky Prize, and in 2010 the National Contemporary Art Innovation Prize and the Sobey Art Award ( Canada). Works by Gretsky and Kats are held in many private collections and museums around the world.

Terracotta Warriors. New Interface

Gallery of Portraits. Schoolkids unveils a powerful projection of images that everyone carries inside. Through manifold enlargement of forms, the artist has created significantly realistic and truthful images of his models on canvas. This projection remains real as long as the viewer recognizes in their own reflection, as long as both mutual trust and mutual interest between the viewer and these schoolkids last, and as long as they stay similar but not equal to their audience. These images exist in direct proportion to the amount of personal experience and knowledge the viewer brings into play, as if they tend to approach an ideal personality created by one’s own imagination. They then suddenly outgrow the audience and become completely independent. Their eyes are fixed straight ahead and the viewer is kept outside their field of vision.
The mirrored space of their glances creates the mysterious illusion of a seemingly endless perspective. The viewing angle from below does not actually feel repressive, but adds a feeling of excitement and provides a chance to have an ongoing dialogue through “dimension”.
Time passes, and forms change, but the need to find one’s own way and draw up one’s own circle remains unchanged. And history repeats itself….
“Time, as far as any portrait is concerned, is dynamic; its present is always full of reminiscences about the past and of anticipations of the future. A portrait is constantly balancing on the verge of artistic double-vision and a mystical reflection of reality.” — Yuri Lotman

Artist want to thank Aidan gallery, Moscow

Дмитрий Грецкий (в соавторстве с Евгенией Кац). Из проекта Терракотовые воины. Новый интрефейс. 2009–2010. Холст, масло. 3 части из 44. 240х210 см каждая. Courtesy Айдан галерея / Dmitry Gretsky (in collaboration with Evgueniya Kats). From Terracotta Warriors . New Interface art project. 3 parts of 44, 240×210 cm each. Courtesy Aidan Gallery