Textured Oil Paintings Reflect Romantic Memories in Rich and Exciting Bursts of Color

November 19, 2017

Art by Leonid Afremov
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Contemporary impressionist painter Leonid Afremov creates bright and cheerful artwork with a palette knife and oil paints. Focusing primarily on land and seascapes, he forms distinctive pieces with bold knife cuts and colour contrasts that convey a range of jubilant emotions. Afremov is recognized as a self-representing artist, operating exclusively online, with few exhibitions and very little outside involvement from promoters and galleries. His artistic philosophy rests on the idea that art is not only for elite, but rather something that everyone should have the opportunity to appreciate.

Joyful and radiant, Afremov’s animated artwork achieves an emotional connection that personally touches those who respond to his talent. His pieces maintain a characteristic ebb and flow, with colours and textures woven together to form an emotive gradient that captures one’s attention, first with bright colour and then with technique. Afremov has the ability to touch a wide audience by focusing on keeping his artwork simple and politically neutral. The artist’s work is known for this simplicity–it doesn’t aim to offend or reveal deeper messages, but seeks to speak for itself by reflecting memories and emotions that are universally relatable.

Born in Belarus, the Russian-Israeli painter was struggling before the advancement of the internet allowed him to expand his market and reach a more global audience. Throughout his life, he has pushed for his artistic freedom, seeking out an individual style that, while influenced by past masters, remains entirely his own. Though his work can be classified as contemporary art, it rests firmly on the elegant traditions of the past.

“The human mind works in a peculiar way: we tend to cling to the past and be overcritical about the present. That’s why modern art often comes under attack. We compare new creations with classic masterpieces and seek out the smallest flaws. Perhaps the grass used to be greener a few centuries but it doesn’t mean that talented people stopped being born in our lifetime! Here is a living illustration.” – Leonid Afremov