Eugene Shadko
Eugene Shadko’s paintings examine tradition and possibilities offered by the genre of portrait itself. The main focus of his art is the relationship between abstract color and human image. He paints portraits of anonymous young people as well as models or singers taken from social media. Some portraits are based on photos, found as spam, or made by the artist himself. Most of the images reveal his interest in virtual egos and modern-day culture. Shadko’s paintings are concerned with texture and the infinite possibilities that pictorial technique offers. They contain a bold contrast between rhythmically distributed abstract blocks of color and the concrete lineaments of human face. Details painted with precision contrast with rough abstract surfaces. Crude strokes are adjoined with soft touches. Dense borders with liquid. The contrasts are like tectonic faults on the canvas surface. The faults allow Shadko’s works to often carry a strong theme of transience. In light of the artist’s fascination with decay, his choice of young and beautiful models invites reflection on what is permanent and what is considered valuable. Despite the permanence of the medium, Shadko ’s works seem more like visitors passing by.