The abduction of Europe

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.