Reviews

Russian artists at Austrian vineyards, or a few words about wine and art
July 2009

About a year ago I was approached by Ekaterina Popova who is known in the Russian art circles as an artist, designer, journalist and promoter.

Do you know anyone in Europe who would be interested to organize a plein air for Russian artists, asked Ekaterina. I’ve had a certain interest in art since the University days when I chose to attend a course on the world art (a ballet studio and musical school in the earlier age can hardly be called own conscious choice, though I am certainly grateful to my parents for giving me a chance for these fine experiences).

I found the possibility exciting: wine and art have a lot in common, and are viewed as adjacent worlds to a certain extent. Naturally, I was flattered to participate in creating new links between the two worlds. Correspondence with several potential partners brought results surprisingly quickly (especially taking into account that negotiations were held in autumn 2008 when Europe was stricken by the crisis and budgets for such projects were being cancelled quicker than stock markets fell).

The Austrian Wine Marketing Board (AWMB), which in Russian is curiously called the Limited Partnership of Austrian Wines, but should rather be presented as a highly professional, dynamic, open for new ideas organization promoting Austrian wines inside and outside the country, made the plein air idea a reality. AWMB financed the trip and two following exhibitions.

Thus in April four Russian artists and a photographer found themselves in Austria, more precisely, in the picturesque Wachau area. Its unique landscapes are protected by UNESCO (here’s the cultural aspect), and in the world of wine Wachau is known for some of the best Austrian wines. A country hotel, Weinhotel Wachau in Spitz, for three weeks became the second home for the representatives of the modern Russian art. An always smiling and friendly host, who was also in charge of almost all hotel jobs, every night presented an original menu in Russian, uncannily translated with the help of an electronic translator.

I also spent a couple of days in Wachau where finally met with the group. Along with Ekaterina Popova, artists Darya Markelova, Valery Mironov, Sergey Tsigal and photographer Alexander Aleynikov joined the Austrian open air session. Each with own story, creative vision and works. Ekaterina Popova is fascinated by the ancient Russian mythology and symbols. Darya Markelova is equally comfortable working with canvas and silk. Valery Mironov creates works which defy conventions of artistic movements, and names them in old Russian language. Sergey Tsigal is known both as an artist, presenter and cook.

Our programmes in Austria didn’t coincide. We met mostly in the evening, for dinners. The artists, touched by the first sun thanks to regular sessions in the open air (that’s precisely what plein air means in French), told about their impressions, about trips to vineyards and to the Loisium wine attraction, about night visits to local bar and cemetery, about meetings with winemakers and tastings. They showed their sketches, drafts, unfinished and finished works — vines with intricate forms, terraced vineyards, Bacchus on a goat and Mozart in a glass. As for me, I spent two days visiting about a dozen wineries in Wachau. Once, at F.X. Pichler, I was joined by Ekaterina and Darya.

We spent last evening together, having a tasting at Domäne Wachau (and special thanks to the winery for its superb tasting room) where the artists, by then specialists in Wachau wines, discovered bottles from other parts of Austria. The most diligent student was Sergey Tsigal whose interest in wine is actually known (before our roads crossed in Portugal). That night we tasted Pfaffl Gruner Veltliner Zeiseneck Weinviertel DAC 2008, Domäne Wachau Riesling Federspiel Terrassen 2008 (and a selection of others to see the difference between various categories and single vineyards in Wachau), Tement Sauvignon Blanc Steirische Klassic 2008, Claus Preisinger Zweigelt Pannobile 2006 and Kracher Welschriesling Chardonnay TBA № 10 2006 (last vintage made by Alois).

On return to Moscow, the artists transferred their impressions on large canvases, which were shown in the State Central Museum of Modern History. The exhibition “Russian plein air in Austria. Russian art and Austrian wine” was open in May. Regrettably, I couldn’t be in Moscow at the time, but everybody, including the Austrians, the visitors and the artists, was very pleased. In November the works will travel to Austria, to the annual Wine and Art festival in Vienna. Russian artists will be presented there for the first time.

The artists and I continue to keep in touch. I recently asked Daria Markelova and Valery Mironov to share their views on art and wine. I was much impressed that they embraced the questions with all seriousness, and I am delighted to present their thoughts, ideas and attitudes which were formed also by the Austrian experience.

Daria and Valery were asked the same set of questions:

1. Did your perceptions of wine change after the trip?
2. How did you present the topic of wine in your works?
3. In your opinion, what unites wine and art?

The answers are given below, and I hope that this is the beginning of a new series of articles about the interaction of the wine and art spheres.

Darya Markelova. Her arsenal includes batik painting on textiles (wall mounted panels, pillow cases, scarves, accessories); acryl paintings; industrial textile design; interior design; interior wall paintings. A selection of works is presented here — http://www.gallery-belyaevo.ru/CPR/Batik.htm.

“Did my perception of wine change after the trip? Oh, yes, definitely. I’ve always treated good wine with respect and understand how much effort and labour is being put into the truly creative and mysterious process… the process of a wine’s birth. The trip was a wonderful journey in the mysterious and previously unknown winemaking world.

We arrived in the generous and fairytale like Austria in the middle of April. It was an amazing time when the nature was awakening after the winter sleep. Everything around was in blossom, exuding wonderful perfumes: purple lilac, yellow forthysia, pink almond trees, white apple and apricot trees. Soft yet bright spring colours caressed the eye and filled the air with sweet aroma, making one dizzy and taking one’s breath away.

And then we saw the vineyards... Down the mountainous slopes, on the terraces and in the valleys flooded with warm soft light, stretched straight lines of lovingly planted vines. Each one of them was like a small bonsai, sculptured by the hands of a man, a joint masterpiece of the wild nature and the man who tamed it. The man, who from one year to another, from one decade to another, while passing his experience and skill to children and grandchildren, grows, tends, cuts and forms the vine, being fully aware of its character, needs, strengths and weaknesses. Each as own silhouette, shape, cracks and texture. Each is a living essence and an ancestor of what we will later call a fine wine.

But that moment was yet to come. During our two weeks in Austria vines grew first leaves, became live and were turning their young shoots towards the sun. Later, in autumn they would reward the man who carefully and трепетно tends them, ripe, juicy bunches and then become inimitable fine wine that has absorbed the warmth, the flavours and the aromas of the Austrian land. We visited many winemakers, saw production facilities, went underground to the cellars where special, well aged bottles of wine after decades of sleep under a layer of dust and in complete darkness are waiting to emerge in front of wine lovers.

Various tastings taught me to understand and feel the styles of Austrian wines, to sense fine points of their colour, aromas and flavours. It was terribly exciting — to learn about and then to detect various grape varieties, styles and even labels. Naturally, that after this submersion in the amazing and complex world of aromas and flavours my attitude to wine became very different, as I went through precious experiences and received new knowledge.

How did I present the topic of wine in my works?

Multiple impressions during the trip were certainly reflected in my art. More so, as the project from the very beginning was seen as a creative symbiosis between the actual tasting and artistic experience of wine.

We dedicated a lot of time to open air sessions. We traveled around the region, went to the vineyards, terraces and valleys, painted everything that we saw — vines, landscapes, wonderful architecture of small, almost fairytale like Austrian towns of Krems and Spitz, amazing medieval castles, high up in the mountains, carefully protected by the state and thoroughly restored, now serving as open air museums which retain a particular medieval spirit.

We wanted to embrace the unbounded, to paint everything and at once. We were dazzled, pencils dropped from our hands, we were overfilled with emotions and impressions. Creative spirit captured everyone, the inspiration was boiling and materialized on the paper. All in all, it was impossible to stop. Even when we returned to our small and cozy hotel in the evenings, we again picked pencils and brushes to continue the work…

Wine attraction Loisium, with its fine and at times humourous interpretation of the vinification process, left a remarkable impression, from the start to the finish of the tour.

In my works, the topic of wine is transmitted through three aspects. Firstly, through glass. I addressed the theme before, and I myself have been an avid collector of unusual wine bottles — with unconventional colours, various forms and interesting textures. I love glass. It is beautiful, amazingly durable yet very fragile. I often bring empty wine bottles from my trips, and every time feel thrilled when I add an unusual objet to my collection. Now the bottles have moved to my холсты, and even to silk (I paint textiles using the batik technique). I combine them in rows and groups and look for interesting combinations of forms and sizes, thickness and transparency, colour and light. There is an infinite number of options, it’s like a game of making a bottle composition or a pattern.

The second topic is linked to vine. Its intricate curves and the uniqueness of each plant inspired all artists. The nature is the greatest creator.

The third topic is about lizards. I always liked these amazingly lissom and quick creatures, tiny dragons of our days, and they were often previously featured in my works. Now I learned that a lizard is a symbol of the prestigious wines of Wachau as it lives in vineyards and keeps warm on the terrace stones which at night also give their warmth to vines. Now lizards appear even more often in my works.

All in all, the artistic symbiosis and associations encompass vines, glass and lizards.

What, in my opinion, unites wine and art?

Good wine is art in itself! One needs talent, experience, and, above all, professionalism to make wine. The process is creative yet labour intensive and based on rich traditions and great skill of winemakers. In order to make an original, unique wine, one has to put in a lot of effort and have a full understanding of the process. Only then one gets right results. The results to be proud of!

The same is true about art. An artist with a proper classical background, talent, professionalism and own signature, creates works of art which can be appreciated in the same way like great wine. The Austrians compare their wine with music and say that Austrian wine is Mozart in a glass. I guess they are right, as respect for art is what makes art worthy”.

***

Valery Mironov. “Literaturnaya Gazeta” once compared Valery with a nugget “who have been aplenty in Russia in all times”. His works are something that cannot be strictly defined within this or that artistic movement. Mironov finds ideas in myths, folk stories and wisdom, religious plots which he interprets and always presents with certain irony. Some of his works can be seen here — http://vmironov.net/

“While in Austria, I received a great amount of information that changed my attitude to wine as well as to the world. A person who goes to a museum for the first time will be overwhelmed by what he sees, but if he is guided by an arts critic, he will see museum pieces in a different light. The world is complex, and each facet is beautiful. My trip showed me a new facet of this world. I am now excited to travel through the labyrinth of aromas and flavours. It is also flattering that my encounters with fine wine are now more meaningful.

When something grabs my attention and excites, I want to reflect it in my works. I was impressed with a lot of things that I had seen, but my imagination in particular was stricken by the variety of forms of a vine that has been tended through years. Кропотливый work of many generations of growers makes every branch uniquely beautiful. The aesthetics of a vine can be appreciated in the same way like the aesthetics of a Japanese bonsai. I wanted to feature various shapes of vine in my works. A vine can be compared to a man in several key notions such as kin, upbringing, destiny. Being submerged in a fascinating search of a form, I was in a meditative-like state that can also be experienced when contemplating on a painting.

Wine and art in my view serve as a link between time and people. Creations of ancient masters were worshiped in the same way like ancient wine that was considered a gift of gods. Creative and winemaking processes are close to each other. Both art and wine have own story, masters, connoisseurs and masterpieces. The paintings by great artists can be contemplated infinitely long. There is also a great pleasure in enjoying aromas and flavours of a fine wine — both can make one slightly dizzy. The work of an artist can be compared to that of a winemaker in a search of the right palette and impeccable composition. Both a winemaker and an artist have a long term experience handed down from one generation to another”.