Masterpiece by S.Veda "Catch", oil on canvas, 45x35 (1993) Картина - Sergey Veda

Sergey Veda (English: Sergey Teodor Veda; born on December 5, 1963, in Yalta, Crimean ASSR, USSR – perished on November 28, 1999, in the Argentine Cordilleras) – of Greek nationality; artist, philosopher, master of spiritual practices. He advocated the spiritual dimension in the development of visual arts. Relatively unknown to the general public but highly regarded among professionals. An artist with a global reputation. His art serves as a means of spiritual growth, achieving perfection, and holiness. These are the fundamental aspects that describe the work of this painter and graphic artist. In his short life of 36 years, Sergey left behind just over a hundred paintings and an countless number of graphic works (drawings, etchings, mixed media pieces). He began drawing at the age of three and never parted with his pencil throughout his life. Drawing was his way of understanding and communicating with the world, a path to spiritual perfection.
His first solo exhibitions took place in Yalta and Sevastopol from 1983 to 1990. In 1991, his first significant solo exhibition was held at the Central House of Artists on Krymsky Val in Moscow. This was followed by a series of exhibitions in underground galleries in Moscow and Leningrad/St.Petersburg. Galleries such as M'ARS, Pan-Dan, and Kino in Moscow, as well as the Central Exhibition Hall "Manege" in Leningrad, showcased his work.
Among his notable admirers and friends, one can mention Boris Grebenshchikov, Sergey Kuryokhin, gallery owner Galina Daneliya, and philosopher-sinologist Bronislav Vinogrodskyi.
During one of his solo exhibitions, Sergey received an invitation from the American Association of Contemporary Artists to share his experience in drawing and etching techniques. He gave a series of instructional lectures at specialized educational institutions in the United States. Starting from 1992 to 1996 in the USA, a highly productive period of the artist's life began. Lectures across various states alternated with his own active work and solo exhibitions. Each lecture was preceded by a three-day exhibition within the walls of the educational institution, followed by an engaging narrative with direct participation of all attendees. More than 40 lectures were delivered, and over 10 solo exhibitions were held in galleries in different cities, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), San Francisco Art Institute, International Art Museum of America, The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA in Los Angeles, Long Beach Museum of Art, Culver City gallery, New Image Art (NIA) and others.
Among the known admirers, friends, and connoisseurs of his paintings and graphic works during the American period, one can recall gallery owners Marsea Goldberg and Jeffery Deitch, actors Dustin Hoffman and Kate Capshaw, musician Keith Urban, sculptor Robert Graham, and others. The American actress Anjelica Huston was the first to appreciate the artist's work. She purchased the painting "Crimea" for $50,000. By the end of 1996, prices for his paintings had risen on average to $450,000. During the period from 1992 to 1996, the artist created just over a hundred paintings, 90% of which were sold in the USA. Some of his notable works from this period include "Guardian Angel," "Green Cannabis of the Sky," "The Catch," and "Party."
In 1997, the artist received a significant commission to paint the interior walls of a private estate in the suburbs of San Francisco, where he continued to work. The name of the client and the location of the artwork remain unknown. In 1999, along with his girlfriend Olga and a couple of young friends, he embarked on a journey through the Chilean and Argentine Cordilleras. All four tragically perished in an avalanche. Their bodies were discovered seven months later and laid to rest in Ushuaia, Argentina.
A master of the spirit – a brief and most accurate characterization of Sergey Veda's creativity. His works, like living children, were left to us for understanding and study. Inexorable time will eventually place everything in its proper perspective, and the precise characterization of Sergey Veda as a contemporary genius will become clear to everyone!