The painting "Escape," created in 1985, is an oil on canvas measuring 50x50 cm, by the Vitebsk painter Sergei Vasilyevich Kukhto (1959-1999). In this composition, we see Kukhto's favorite theme related to ancient Greek mythology—"Centaurs." However, this is not a precise reference to mythology but rather an interpretation of this theme through the lens of a contemporary perspective. Centaurs are half-human, half-horse beings, possessing the head and torso of a human but the body of a horse. Sergey Kukhto reinterprets the ancient myth, endowing the centaur in his paintings with human qualities, in contrast to Greek myths where the centaur is depicted as a wild and untamed creature. In Christianity, the centaur symbolizes sensuality and unbridled passions. This character has always served as an embodiment of a person torn between good and evil.
Nikolai Mikhailovich Pogranoisky Art scholar, custodian of the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus.
Sergey Vasilyevich Kukhto (22.04.1959, Vitebsk-1.11.1999, Vitebsk) is a painter of the mythological genre. In 1978 he graduated from the Minsk Art College named after A. K. Glebov. He began exhibiting in the mid-1990s.His works are in private collections in the Czech Republic, Holland, Switzerland, USA, Israel, Russia, Belarus. The world of his paintings is a world where the artist, through mythological images, conveys thoughts, feelings, sensations, movements of his soul and each of us. Perhaps the most prominent representative among the artists who write on mythological motifs is Sergey Kukhto. In his works ("By the River in Spring", "Escape", "Winter", etc.) we find the author's interpretations of famous ancient myths. All the plots are presented in a free individual manner and the works are designed in the spirit of postmodernism. The central character of Sergey Kukhto's paintings is a centaur. Centaurs in Greek mythology are strange creatures, half-human, half-horse, inhabitants of mountains and forest thickets, characterized by violent temper and intemperance. Centaurs were considered descendants of Ixion and Nephele – either direct, or through a common ancestor for the tribe of the Centaur, who foaled Magnesian mares. Usually centaurs are shown as wild and unrestrained creatures in which animal nature prevails, but wise centaurs are also known, first of all, Fol and Chiron, friends and teachers of Hercules and some other heroes. Through this unusual image, the artist expressed all his thoughts, feelings and experiences, creating his own special philosophy on the works. The philosophy of a man who admires ancient myths and is completely immersed in this interesting and wonderful world. For example, in the work "By the River in Spring" there are several mythological motifs at the same time. Firstly, the presence of the centaur speaks of ancient myths. Secondly, the surroundings, the landscape and the general mood suggest Slavic motifs. Because the description of such a forest and field is more often mentioned in old Russian epics. And another interesting analogy – in some of the author's works, a centaur and a young girl are depicted. Thus, the artist expresses a feeling of love, full of beauty and sublimity, which has to go through all sorts of obstacles. The centaur embodies all male strength, care, kindness and devotion to the ideals of honor. In the female image we see a beautiful companion in whom pure and noble love lives. It is through these beautiful images that the artist conveys to us such a wide range of feelings. On the woman, you can notice the handkerchief with which she covered herself and covered the centaur. Such an element very often appears in the works of Kuhto. He characterizes the classic image of a Russian woman who likes to wear headscarves. In the work of Sergei Kukhto there is an image to which a whole series of works is dedicated. This is the image of Polkan, a centaur in the famous Napoleon hat and harlequin clothes. Here, for example, as in this canvas – "Polkan in winter", although in another painting "Sleeping Polkan" the character is already in warm winter clothes. The image of Polkan fascinates. Through him, the artist conveys the loneliness of greatness, beauty and a certain amount of buffoonery. It is safe to say that this image is one of the most mysterious and strange in the artist's work, because in no mythology do we meet any creatures even remotely resembling this character. The author presented him to us in the form of a centaur, which has already become traditional for him. Perhaps for the artist it was an image that helped him express his feelings and attitude to the surrounding reality. After all, a mixture of so many different features and images in one person is too difficult and not unambiguous for instant perception. For example, the appearance of a Harlequin. He is cheerful and naive, not very smart, not very clever, not very resourceful, so he easily commits stupidities, but he perceives the punishments that follow with a smile. He is lazy and looking for any opportunity to dodge work and take a nap, he is a glutton and a womanizer, but at the same time courteous and modest. Harlequin evokes sympathy for his ridiculous misfortunes and childish sorrows, when, as the image of Napoleon, he gives the character traits of greatness, superiority and nobility. The commander is true to his word and will not deviate from his plans. In some ways, he is similar to the centaur, who is also proud and unapproachable. That's how in one person the artist combines opposites that are side by side in life, but never together. All these images merge into a monolithic and rather peculiar character in one character, who appears far from one job. Sergey Kukhto created an image that attracts with the mystery and ambiguity of the character's presentation, which in each work reveals one of its many facets of bottomless depths, woven together by a network of established ideas. But not all works are devoted to distant countries and myths. In such paintings as "Lake Losvido", the main action is transferred to the native Vitebsk expanses. The artist settles a centaur among the Slavic people. Here you can trace the ancient connection of peoples and the interpenetration of ancient and Ancient Slavic cultures. Having carefully read the works of Sergey Kukhto, it is easy to be convinced of the existence of the author's myth, when the artist on his canvases makes cultures and mythologies so different and far from each other get along, while creating a unique mood in his paintings, where we see a new, slightly strange, but attractive philosophy with purity and depth. For example, the artist often paints winter and snow. Its whiteness and purity quite often appears on the canvases of Sergei Kukhto. He settles centaurs in these harsh conditions. For example, as in the works "Winter" and "Escape". In both works, the author correlates three images: a centaur, a woman and winter. Somewhere they are opposed, and somewhere they converge. The main characters have to overcome the harsh conditions of cold and hunger, at the same time, the emptiness and loneliness of the landscape suggests the same loneliness of those walking. However, the two of them are warm and good when it's dreary and cold around. Thus, with the help of these figurative techniques, the artist manages to convey the relationship between two people and their attitude to the surrounding reality.
The Vitebsk painter Kukhto Sergei Vasilievich (1959-1999)
Today I want to introduce you to an incredible artist from Vitebsk - Sergey Kuhto. And for those who are already familiar, I suppose it will be interesting to learn even more about him, about his work, or just to see these fabulous works again, even in photos.Artist about the artistI have long wanted to write my thoughts about this unusual artist. However, I could not decide how to write, from which side to approach his work. Whether to consider his works in detail, as an art critic, delving into the symbolism and history of creation, describing and explaining the numerous nuances of his living creativity. Or to tell about him from the viewer's point of view, gradually immersing in the topic. In the end, I decided to start from the beginning, and then see how it goes.Sergey KuhtoFirst of all, I will give a brief information about him. Sergey Vasilievich Kuhto (April 22, 1959, Vitebsk - November 1, 1999, Vitebsk) - a painter of the mythological genre. In 1978 he graduated from the Minsk Art School named after A.K. Glebov. He began to exhibit his works in the mid-1990s. His works are in private collections in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the USA, Israel, Russia, and Belarus.There is a lot of information, various texts, and photos of his works, you can't fit it all into one article. So I decided to divide"Split into separate small notes." This article will also serve as an introductory and summary to help you navigate the material. It's best to read them in order, starting with the first one."But I'm also attaching a link to the website dedicated to Sergei Kuhto. As far as I know, it's official. There, the history of the author's life is quite detailed, as well as many impressions from different people, descriptions and analyses of the artwork by art critics. Those who are interested can check it out and read. I don't see the point in duplicating the information here. However, I will present a couple of video clips. Unfortunately, they are not displayed there for technical reasons."I first learned about the work of the artist Sergei Kukhto at his first exhibition. Unfortunately, it was already a tribute to the author.I found out about the existence of the artist Sergei Kukhto when I was around thirteen years old. In a local newspaper, like the Vitebsk Courier, there was a small note about a tragic event. Vitebsk lost a great master.In 1993, a photo of the painting "Chiron with Spartans" was attached to the note. Two beautiful girls and a centaur walking along the seashore. Just a dream. This work really impressed me. And it remains one of my favorite works by Kukhto in his creative work. Although, of course, he has other wonderful works too. But like love, if it touches your soul immediately, then you can't get rid of it.I sat for a long time and looked at this small photograph in the newspaper. I could not imagine that in Vitebsk, in a small town so far from the world of great art, there is such an artist. And he creates works like in the best museums in the world. Even more so, because here, in this work, you can feel a very modern approach. There is no stiffness and tightness of the plot as in the past. I felt likeI stand nearby and see Chiron walking along the seashore, leisurely chatting with the Spartans. In ancient times, such a plot would have been presented differently.And then I went to an exhibition of Sergey Kukhto's works. It was his first solo exhibition. And already in memory of the author. In the future, I visited all the exhibitions that opened in Vitebsk. And to this day, I still find something new in these extraordinary works.But let's go back to that time, in the year 2000, with a large crowd slowly pushing into the small exhibition hall of the music lounge. Unfortunately, you won't find such a crowd at an exhibition today. People are not so actively interested in art. However, let's return to the hall. It was very noisy and stuffy inside, as everyone discussed and shared their impressions of what they saw. It was difficult to examine the works, the hall was dark, and there was clearly not enough overhead lighting. By the way, this hall is still the same.Right from the entrance at eye level hangs the first work. Nothing else is visible, you can't move forward. I saw a small painting. In the middle of a winter landscape, there is a centaur. Already unusual in itself, as this character comes from the myths of warm and sunny Greece. In any case, certainly not from snowy places. The centaur is wearing unusual warm clothing with a diamond-shaped pattern. And a hat on his head. I immediately thought of Napoleon, and the clothes were just right. The landscape, on the other hand, is quite familiar. Snow-covered field, modest remains of small trees and branches, hollows are visible. A steep slope goes straight from the edge. Rough sticks railing, leading to a village house below. Warm light is shining in the windows of the house. And the centaur looks at this slope and the house. Large masses of white snow, clean and smooth, contrast with the well-detailed figure of the centaur. Every strand of his fur is visible. The caption under the first image says "House in the ravine, unfinished, canvas, oil, 1996." The caption under the second image says "House in the ravine, fragment."House in the ravine, fragmentI lingered and looked for a long time. I read the title "House in the ravine" until I was pushed to move on. After all, others also wanted to see. As I progressed, I got acquainted with other works. I wanted to stop and look longer, but I couldn't.Centaurs in different forms appeared before me. Each painting was new. I thought, how come only centaurs and nothing else? They were very different. Somewhere simply, wrapped in woolen and fur clothes. And somewhere bright and flashy. Or completely naked. I noticed the familiar "Napoleon" in many works and thought it was the story of one character. And then the guess was confirmed, but regarding another character. The same name "Polkan" flickered in the titles of the works.Polkan in winterPolkan in winter, fragmentTwilight. Polkan, 43x53cm, canvas, oil, 1994Twilight. Polkan, fragmentPolkan's Childhood, unfinished, canvas, oil, 1998Polkan's childhood, fragmentThe shades and colors chosen by Sergey Kuhto amazed me. At that time, I did not understand exactly what it was, but many years later everything became clear. The author selected subtle relationships of the finest nuances. He limited the palette, keeping it within the range typical of our nature. No bright open colors, only diluted with gray. After all, we have more gray weather than blazing sun.Sleeping PolkanGame with Polkan, underpainting, canvas, oil, 1997Harlequin with a wooden sword, canvas, oil, 1995I was captivated by his simple plots, where mighty centaurs and fragile girls walk among familiar forests and fields. This neutral atmosphere perfectly conveys the mood. Every detail, every hair, even the pure expanse of white snow is lovingly and tenderly depicted.Индийское лето, холст, масло, 1996 Translation: Width = "1593" Height = "2000" data-id = "2756" src = "https://shainurau.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/indian_summer_1996.jpg" alt = "indian_summer_1996" class = "wp-image-2756" srcset = "https://shainurau.com/wp-content/uploads /2022/01/indian_summer_1996.jpg 1593w, https://shainurau.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/indian_summer_1996-1080x1356.jpg 1080w, https://shainurau.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/indian_summer_1996-540x678.jpg 540w "sizes =" (max-width: 1593px) 100vw, 1593px "> Indian Summer, canvas, oil, 1996 ="lazy" decoding="async" width="1593" height="2000" data-id="2771" src="https://shainurau.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/indian_summer_1996.jpg" alt="indian_summer_1996" class="wp-image-2771" srcset="https://shainurau.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/indian_summer_1996.jpg 1593w, https://shainurau.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/indian_summer_1996-1080x1356.jpg 1080w, https://shainurau.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/indian_summer_1996-540x678.jpg 540w" sizes="(max-width: 1593px) 100vw, 1593px">Indian Summer, unfinished, canvas, oil, 1996Rainbow, unfinished, canvas, oil, 1997It seemed incredible to me. Is it possible to invent and create something like this with just one brush? I left the exhibition amazed and for a long time I pondered many questions. And perhaps the most important one, when will I be able to see these works again? Why is there still no permanent exhibition in Vitebsk? Why do so few people know about the centaurs living among us? They need to be shown to everyone, let them be amazed and experience a sea of emotions and impressions. After all, no photograph can ever.It cannot convey all the finest nuances of oil painting.ta-lbwps-height="1500" data-lbwps-srcsmall="https://shainurau.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/286_f2-1080x810.jpg">Unknown title, fragmentContinuing...Navigation through postsBy the river in spring, canvas, oil, 1992By the river in spring, fragmentCrossing, 95x76cm, canvas, oil, 1994Crossing, paper, gouache, 1993However, a keen sense of nature and mood is only part of what I see in Kukhto's paintings. There is another part, very large and significant. Sergey managed to combine our Slavic pagan beliefs with ancient Greek myths. He intertwined them into a single new space. And now I am more than sure that there were such centaurs in our legends. They once walked along the paths outside. They wore familiar coats and hats from childhood. And experienced the same things as our ancestors. It couldn't be any other way.November. Winter crops, fragmentIt is difficult to put into words what you feel. These are sensations that arise somewhere in the subconscious. They are from childhood, from solitary walks in forests and parks. They are from memories of love and tenderness. Where it's just you and her, alone in the midst of bad weather.Blizzard, unfinished, canvas, oil, 1997Blizzard, fragmentBlizzard, fragmentIf you read the numerous memories of Sergey's wife, you can find out that it was such walks that inspired the author. He walked a lot. Both alone and with his wife. He absorbed everything he saw, and then conveyed his feelings and memories on canvas. Infusing the plots with his emotions and images. Quite often, he used himself as a model. That is why we see a fairly powerful angular male figure. He had a couple of mirrors in his workshop where he could look at himself from behind. And in some companions, one can recognize features of his wife. In the subsequent paintings, images of his children appear.In general, for each painting, Sergey searched long for a model for the specific image he had in mind. And when he found one, he persuaded the person to pose. Most often they posed for a photograph. After all, working on a painting took a very long time. And the necessary mood of the model and the state of nature disappear in an instant.All the plots are so well and finely assembled, worked out, and really look truly. In his paintings, Sergey Kuhto shows himself as a part of the world, reflecting the surrounding.It reflects his nature in a kind of artist's mirror. And transforms it into a new author's myth. Exactly a myth. After all, what are myths in essence? These are projections of our lives: birth and death, love and hatred. And all this can be seen in the most diverse plots, which Sergey reflects in his works. He tries to convey the main idea of the myth through well-found images. This helps us to perceive already known mythological plots in a new way./uploads/2022/01/october_f1-540x720.jpg 540w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px">October, fragmentMuddy ford, underpainting, canvas, oil, 1996All this intertwines very delicately and creates its own unique atmosphere. Similar to which I have not encountered anywhere else. And that's not surprising. After all, such feelings and sensations arise when I contemplate the works of Sergey Kukhto. They resonate deep in the soul with warmth and pain. Perhaps such associations arise only in me. But I don't think that's the case. I'm sure something similar is emerging in you now as well, when you look at Kukhto's paintings. So linger a little longer and look at these reproductions to immerse yourself further.Escape or February, 68x68 cm, oil, copper, 1992Escape or February, fragment
