More or less seriously, I started doing graphics in 1989. There were several reasons for this. First, genetic: my grandfather, Oskar Rudolfovich Muntz and my father, Vladimir Oskarovich, were architects, my father’s sister was Natalya Oskarovna, my aunt was a book graphic artist. On the maternal side, on the Armenian side, there was also the famous artist Grigory Shiltyan, who lived all his life in Italy. (A large exhibition of his works was held in 1983 in the central halls of the Pushkin Museum). In addition, my sister Lena, a sculptor, has always painted and paints beautifully, and my sister Olya was a monumental artist.
At the age of five, not knowing anything about abstract art yet, having drawn some scribbles, I thought that this could be an interesting occupation. Apparently, I always had a craving for free improvisation, since I was seized by endless longing and sadness when, at the age of ten, I was sent to an art circle at the house of architects, where I had to draw dull teapots. I only managed to hold out for two lessons. Tennis seemed to me much more interesting. True, now the parallel between graphics, painting and tennis seems to me quite obvious. In the first case, the artist freely swings his brush, and in the second case, he freely waves the racket.
“Diversify as much as you can” – these words of Leonardo da Vinci, according to some art historians, can serve as a motto for the entire Renaissance. And in my work, due to my abilities, I try to follow this commandment. So, in addition to the etched stroke, I mastered the reserve (when sugar is added to the ink, I will omit the details so as not to tire the reader). Then I moved on to dry point, monotype, unique graphics and, finally, to painting, in which I also try to experiment with different techniques, canvases, soils and surfaces. In general, I believe that a real artist should have a lifelong experiment.
Recently I have been simultaneously engaged in graphics and painting. First of all, it’s more interesting, secondly, one thing helps the other, and thirdly, the border is, as always, blurred, because graphics can be pictorial, and painting, on the contrary, is graphic.
And one more observation related to my first profession. An architect designs buildings, putting his soul, heart and time into the process, but as a result, even the most famous architects, even Koolhaas’s level, ninety percent of projects are not implemented or are being implemented (especially in our conditions) with strong deviations from the project. An artist, on the other hand, in one or several days creates a picture that may not be liked by anyone, which may never be sold, but it exists, and exists as the author created it. If we talk about graphics and painting, it is believed that there are much more fans of painting, since graphics require a more prepared viewer.