Best of Bologna: Edgiest Artists of the 2008 International Children's Book Fair

Original Exhibit: July 8 – October 8, 2009:
Deering Library, Third Floor
Permanent Exhibit: Completed October 2010:
Main Library, Fourth Floor

Artem Kostyukevich
Born: Omsk, Russia
Currently resides in:
Hamburg, Germany
Preferred Technique: Acrylic

Personal Statement

At the State Russian Herzen Pedagogical University in St. Petersburg, I studied the traditional and classical school of drawing, art history, and pedagogy before beginning my studies at the Hamburg Polytechnic University. My studies in Hamburg opened up an entirely new world to me, and I began everything anew. The new European schools were both refreshing and stimulating for me, and I wanted to work only in the styles I encountered here! Yet my professors observed that my work still contained strong Russian influences. Although I have Russian roots and a Russian mindset, more than half of my professional and artistic development has taken place on German soil. "Schatten", based on the wonderful text of Heinz Janisch, was one of my first book projects and was a joy to work on. I wanted to find or create a new connection between figures and their shadows. What could be the difference between them? Then, solely by chance, I came up with the idea that the figures of real people should be stiff and static—but their shadows should be moving about! This is supported by what's in the text: in Siesta City, the people are asleep, but there are also sleepwalkers. So only the inhabitants of the Empire of Shadows are active! And this idea worked! What I do first is make a drawing—a graphic-arts beginning. Then, I paint as if I were making a painting. The coloration and the details are important for me.