Gritsenko Elena. Interview

For me the meeting with Sterligov was a big event in my life. Before personal acquaintance I learned a lot about Sterligov from Alexander Kozhin. I visited exhibitions in Sterligov’s and Glebova's workshop on Lenin Street. I fell in love with Vladimir Vasilyevich's works. For me he became as like a fairytale hero owning wealth: a curve, a direct-curve, the turned-out space, color-light forms, color-writing, something like mebius, weightlessness, love, God. I believed him without doubts, at once changing my life.

After the graduation from Academy they suggested me to remain as assistant and at once to enter the Union of artists, but I rejected all benefits of the Union and with pleasure rushed to «outcast». Sterligov was very glad to my first drawings and etudes because he was afraid that after the academic grasp I won't be able any more to enter the objectless world.

First of all my school is the communication with Sterligov, the possibility to show my works, his councils, participation in exhibitions in his workshop. He opened for me individual color, a form, plastic space, and the most important – understanding of objectlessness. With understanding of objectlessness the history of arts was opened for me in a new way. He gave a chain: favourite icons, Rokotov, Delacroix, impressionism, Cezanne, cubism, suprematism, the plastic idea. Mutual penetration between Heaven and Earth. I got the professional brotherhood, the strict relation to the work. Sterligov was able to find the small place where, in his opinion, there was an event in work of student. For the sake of it is necessary to work

Gritsenko Elena