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11 • October 2015
The art of
Vladimir Kush
Pg. 8
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The Current October 2015. Page 8
Vladimir Kush: Metaphorical Realist
by Rodney Schroeter
for the Current
When I read a description of an artist’s work, I find it all too common that
the writer feels a need to categorize, classify the work into some alreadyexisting pigeon-hole.
Is the artist a realist? A western artist? A surrealist?
I sometimes think that’s not helpful. Does such categorization create
barriers to your enjoyment, as you ask, “How does this one artist’s work
compare to all the other artists’ works in that category?”
To a large extent, I think the average person can enjoy art by viewing it
on its own basis. As standing alone. By looking at one work at a time and
asking, “Does this say something to me? Am I getting something from this?
Does it reflect my values? Or does it conflict with my values?”
So I was a little surprised to read artist Vladimir Kush label himself. In
his book, Metaphorical Journey, he describes his work as metaphorical
realism.
As I thought about it, this categorization actually seemed helpful.
In fact, the book Metaphorical Journey helped me to understand a lot
of things about this artist, and enriched my appreciation for his work. The
book seems to be out of print, with copies selling in the $100 range, but it is
truly a wealth of beautiful, wondrously metaphorical material.
I discovered a Kush Fine Art gallery several years ago during one of
my trips to Las Vegas. There are now two such galleries in Vegas: One
The Current October 2015. Page 9
The art of
Arts
Vladimir Kush
See KUSH/10
Copyrights
for the artwork and photos accompanying this
article are Copyright © by Kush Fine Art, which
kindly granted The Current permission to use
these images. For more information, visit:
vladimirkush.com
Cirque du Metal
Cybernetic Assemblage
If you could own any work of art by Vladimir Kush...
Which one would it be, and why?
by Rodney Schroeter
for the Current
Behind the Trees
More Vladimir Kush art on page 10!
Editor’s note: A few months
ago, the Kush Fine Art gallery
in Las Vegas sponsored an essay
contest, posing the question in the
above heading.
I was one of those who entered.
I was not selected as a winner,
but here is the essay.
It is so difficult to select only
one piece, above all others, by
Vladimir Kush.
The lighting and colors on many
are enough to evoke visual and
emotional appeal; Behind the Trees,
Claws of Fate, Anticipation of a
Night’s Shelter, and Breakfast on
the Lake are just a few examples.
The delightful paradigm shifts
are enough to keep me studying
works like Butterfly Apple, Crusaders, and Descent to the Mediterranean.
But the one work I would select would need even more than
appealing colors, dramatic light-
Come See Our New Location
ing, and the layered allegory of
shifting paradigms. It must reflect
something of my life. With that in
mind, I have narrowed it down to
three:
Cirque du Metal. My only reason for first coming to Las Vegas
in 2001, with my wife, was to see
two Cirque du Soleil shows. Over
the years, we have revisited Las
Vegas and seen nearly all Cirque
du Soleil shows that this city has
offered. Vladimir Kush’s Cirque
du Metal, a beautifully gem-like
piece, represents one aspect of
life that my wife and I have shared
over the years. By associating this
piece with Las Vegas, I add another layer of personal meaning:
It is where I discovered the work
of Vladimir Kush.
Cybernetic Assemblage. One
of my careers, lasting nearly half
my life, was as a computer programmer and business analyst
in a manufacturing firm. At any
opportunity, I would walk out to
the foundry area, where gigantic
gears were being made. It was
a place, I believe, where great
things were done. The overhead
cranes and diffuse light coming
through the windows in this painting are thrillingly reminiscent of
that foundry. Again, this piece
appeals to me on more than one
level. Since childhood, I’ve found
the horned chameleon to be one of
the most interesting of all reptiles.
Even as an adult, I invest time
in watching one at the pet shop.
Once the chameleon in this painting is assembled, I suppose some
people would happily imagine it
going berserk, destroying the city.
I believe, however, that this chameleon would be designed to do
only constructive things.
Laser Tune-Up. Again, the
manufacturing environment here
speaks directly to my memory,
in ways similar to Cybernetic
Assemblage. The added level of
personal meaning in this piece:
My wife and I call our country
home Dragonfly Estate. We have
a lot of dragonflies (I’ve also
been fascinated with insects since
Laser Tune-Up
childhood), and use dragonflies
in many of our decorative motifs,
indoor and outdoor. I notice the
three thicknesses of crescents in
the three windows, and suspect
that difference has some significance, but am unable to discern
what it could be. But I don’t have
to solve all puzzles presented by a
Kush work. That’s part of the fun.
If I have to pick one, it would
be... ah... (scratch scratch) Yes, it
would be... Cybernetic Assemblage.
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The Current October 2015. Page 10
More Vladimir
KUSH from 8
in the Miracle Mile shops; the
other at the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace. There are also Kush
galleries in Maui, Hawaii, and Laguna Beach, California.
There are dozens of images at
the Kush website: vladimirkush.
com
In preparing this article for The
Current, I contacted the Kush galleries, and was told it might be
possible to interview the artist. I
was thrilled by the possibility. As
the Dreaded Deadline for this issue looms ever nearer, it does not
seem that will happen—at this
point. If that opportunity presents
itself, I’ll run an interview with
the artist in a future issue.
(Now, some people would be
surprised to read an interview
with a world-class artist in a local
paper like The Current. But my
motto as Editor is: Readers of The
Current Deserve the Very Best.)
When I first thought I’d be interviewing Vladimir Kush, I immediately scribbled a couple of
pages of questions I would ask
him. But guess what. I found the
answers to most of those questions when I sat down to read
Kush art!
Metaphorical Journey. So I had to
throw those questions all away.
As for his biography: He was
born in 1965 in Moscow. He
showed interest in art at a young
age, and was encouraged by his
family. He attended regular school
in the morning, and art school in
the evening. Kush describes how
his teachers nurtured his artistic
development.
Kush’s talents became recognized in the 1990s through several
exhibitions. He decided to move
to America. The following paragraphs, quoted from Metaphorical Journey, are quite eloquent
in describing his thoughts on this
move.
I have lifted the anchor and
sailed away from the quay that
was the home of my childhood.
I have found a mooring in the
fairy islands of my dreams.
Now, I am an inhabitant of
America. But I do not forget
that my talent developed in
Russia, which set my spirit in
a tireless search of beauty. And
each time I return to Russia, I
draw inspiration from my birthplace and restore my forces,
as Antaeus did, by touching
Departure of the Winged Ship
Mother Earth.
I am grateful to America for
receiving and supporting me;
here I was formed as an artist,
here my palette has acquired
full and original sounding. I
have perceived the vastness of
this world, have seen its metamorphoses and beauty. From its
chrysalis, the butterfly has appeared to show to the world its
multicoloured wings. My wings
are my paintings. So, let them
bring aesthetic pleasure to all
who admire my work!
quality to it. But reproduced on
this page, you’ll see a photo that
speaks even more effectively,
even more deeply, of his decision
to live in America.
Please enjoy the images the
Kush Fine Art galleries have
granted The Current to print here.
Go online and see many more.
If you’d like to contact the
Kush Fine Arts gallery directly,
their number is 702-650-3444.
As evidenced by the above
quote, Vladimir Kush’s writing
often has a lyrical, prose-poem
More eloquent than words: Russian-born Vladimir Kush
shows how he feels about the country of his choice. – From the
book Metaphorical Journey.
This large book is an excellent showcase of Vladimir
Kush’s art.
Always Together
Flight of the Sun
Another book featuring the
art of Vladimir Kush, this one
a story written by Oleg and
Mikhail Kush. Highly recommended!