Monday, November 10, 2014

The Intriguing Paintings Of Peter Panov

By Christa Jarvis


An era that still has great fascination for many people today is that of the 1920s. The artist, Peter Panov, is one of these people and he has chosen to capture scenes from this time in his works. This was a time when artists met in cafes to talk and change was in the air. His work reflects this time in history and yet it also has a modern, contemporary feel to it.

The characters in his paintings are recognizable and familiar to us and yet at the same time they also convey individual memories and history. Men wearing suits and hats, women drinking wine at sidewalk cafes, men reading newspapers and troubadours playing their instruments are depicted. He paints jazz musicians, starts of the silver screen and city scenes.

This artist uses elements of cubism in his work. His work seems modern and contemporary although it depicts the 1920s era and this is partly due to the way in which he uses cubism. His paintings often look almost like collages. He uses newsprint text in many paintings and this is characteristic of synthetic cubism. The planes of color and flat forms come from analytical cubism. It is interesting how these flat forms and planes manage to evoke depth.

The paintings contain many intricate details and elements are juxtaposed in interesting ways. His musicians often dominate the foreground of the painting and are posed high in the sky above the city. Others stand side by side with buildings and one cannot help thinking whether the man is molded by his surroundings or the man creates the image that surrounds him.

He uses a brush and a palette knife to create texture. The use of color is sophisticated with clever combinations. The routine of life is taken and captured in a series of moments that become special. A man stands in a telephone booth, a woman applies lipstick at her table in the cafe whilst another drinks wine. Men read newspapers and drive in cars. Women walk in a windy street with newsprint blowing everywhere.

Josephine Baker, an icon of the 1920s appears in some of his paintings. She was an actress, dancer and singer who became famous for her daring outfits and dance routines. Mary Pickford, probably the most famous movie star of the time, is another subject he chose to portray.

It is his crowd scenes that are particularly compelling. In a number of paintings he portrays men in their hats and suits, with their backs towards the viewer. There is a sameness about these men and yet the impression is anything but boring. Closer examination shows the intricacy in the details, the clever use of color and the differences between the men become apparent.

These paintings are available from online galleries. This artist gives us special moments amidst the routine of daily life. He manages to convey a story, a sense of individual history and a collective identity at the same time by using commonplace events. His paintings are contemporary and yet timeless too.




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