Oleg Vassiliev

Matthew Cullerne Bown, Contemporary Russian Art, Oxford: Phaidon Press Limited, 1989
Oleg Vassiliev: Recent Works, New York: Phyllis Kind Gallery, 1993
S. S., "Oleg Vassiliev," A-Ya, 1980, no. 2, pp. 26-31
Oleg Vassiliev: Memory Speaks, Themes and Variations, St. Petersburg: The State Russian Museum, Kolodzei Art Foundation, Palace Editions, 2004

Colored pencil on paper. The sheet is a little dirty and shows minor signs of foxing, though it is in otherwise fine condition. There are a also couple minor scratches. Sold unframed.
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Vassiliev's work has always dealt to some extent with memory. This aspect of his art became even more pronounced after Vassiliev moved to New York in 1990, leaving his past life behind. The drawing Four Generations is an idyllic recollection of that past, depicting Vassiliev, his father, his son, and his grandson. The drawing is based on a photograph taken in 1986.

Transforming his divisionist-inspired style through his exquisite draftsmanship, Vassiliev created a shimmering surface infused with mystical light. As Vassiliev explained, "In all my work I try to combine things that happen in different times, in different spaces, in different lights. It is like finding things in your memory that are very different and putting them all together, making them work."