Vitaly Shapovalov, a world-renowned calligraphy master and a very unique artist and watercolorist, presents his first one-man exhibition. The exhibition will feature over a hundred of his most significant works and a big series of artwork the calligrapher has created over the past years.
Russia, Rostov-on-Don
Vitaly Shapovalov resides in Rostov-on-Don. Currently the artist is focused on calligraphy only. Vitaly’s technique is truly unique as most of the time he uses just a brush and his watercolours. But he is a whiz at it. His calligraphy work is diverse, exquisite, and elegant; it never fails to deeply touch both art experts and ordinary visitors.
Vitaly Shapovalov resides in Rostov-on-Don. Currently the artist is focused on calligraphy only.
Vitaly’s technique is truly unique as most of the time he uses just a brush and his watercolours. But he is a whiz at it. His calligraphy work is diverse, exquisite, and elegant; it never fails to deeply touch both art experts and ordinary visitors.
His masterworks have been presented at numerous art exhibitions in Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Velikiy Novgorod, Petrozavodsk) and abroad (Norway, Japan, Turkey). Vitaly Shapovalov is a permanent member of the International Exhibition of Calligraphy; his pieces are included in the collection of the Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy in Moscow. He is also a member of the National Union of Calligraphers.
The series is compiled of 32 pieces made in different styles and manners; each piece is dedicated to a certain letter of the alphabet.
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The series is made to illustrate the poem, Music by Olga Sedakova. Each calligraphy sheet from the series is devoted to the image of a certain musical instrument as a part of the symphony orchestra.
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The series is on the Carnival of Venice and features poems by V. Nabokov and I. Bunin.
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The Eastern and Western traditions in calligraphy are suddenly intertwined on one sheet of paper creating a whole new art image.
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The series illustrates the famous Old Testament, transforming the biblical word into a marvelous iconic series through the art of calligraphy.
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The exhibition also provides visitors an opportunity to observe independent works of the master, which have not been included in the art series. Among such works are: exclusive paintings based on the great literary works by M. Bulgakov, J. Joyce, V. Nabokov, A. Pushkin, W. Shakespeare; portraits, thematic scenes, still lifes, iconographic compositions, and much more.
More pictures“Calligraphy, water, and chance” sounds a little allegoric. The watercolour I use hides something different, as water and chance do. I use the wet-on-wet (alla prima) technique; I never know where my watercolour will flow and I wonder all the time myself. I always work with watercolours in relation to this flowing. It is clear and natural for calligraphy to be made in relation to the drawing.”✱✱✱
“Water is always a sign of a chance and uncertainty. Now it is calm, in a certain period of time it is a showery rain, a storm, or there is no water at all – It is a drought then. I consider water as inseparable from time after all. Water preserves time. Water is a lot like time because of its manifestations, for example, when drips drop or there is a measuring water flow. In my works, I often blur some parts of calligraphy so that it would be barely possible to be looked through; to transfer the impact of the irregularities of the writing as if it stayed untouched by time.”✱✱✱
“Calligraphy to me is a lot like water as well. Look: the fluidity of calligraphy; the way she flows: as a measuring trickle or a big stream. Calligraphy always flows in one direction. Calligraphy can change its rhythm and it always has rhythm, just like water.”✱✱✱
“Calligraphy has gained democratic, liberating, diverse, and sometimes eclectic features. Calligraphy became different. We are glad to accept all of these varieties. Artists are willing to find new and interesting shapes; they are experimenting with calligraphy. So calligraphy explodes with a “case”, some kind of a heightened subjectivity, technical search.”✱✱✱
Tuesday – Friday, 12 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Box office closes at:
Tuesday – Friday, 8 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday, 6 p.m.
Entrance fee – 200 rub.
Free entrance for the disabled, veterans, orphaned children and children under 7 years old.
Price of the catalogue of the exhibition by Vitaly Shapovalov, 480 rub.
Meeting with artist V.V. Shapovalov
Master-class for children hosted by Kozubova N.V. «Learn to Write Beautifully!»
English Cursive with a Pointed Pen
Master-class Usual Handwriting as a Mirror of Soul hosted by graphologist Larisa Drygval
Entrance fee to all the events – 300 rub.
Free entrance for the disabled, veterans, orphaned children and children under 7 years old.
