Interview
with Vladimir Kanevsky
Image of Vladimir Kanevsky courtesy
of The Vladimir Collection.
All rights reserved.
This exclusive interview with sculptor Vladimir Kanevsky was conducted
by Nicola Linza and Cristoffer Neljesjö in Fort Lee, New Jersey during February
2020.
Please tell us a bit about your background.
I was born in a large city in Ukraine where I studied and practiced architecture. At 27 I moved to Leningrad, Russia. It was the same country then. I kept working as an architect, but eventually became interested in painting, sculpture and some rather primitive ceramics. I emigrated to the United States at 38. In my new home I seriously concentrated on figurative sculpture and began my first experiments with porcelain.
How did your interest in fine porcelain begin?
When I came to the United States my main interest was figurative sculpture, but I needed to do something to make a living. I tried to work with porcelain. First I made simpler objects and then I tried more complicated pieces like tableware and eventually flowers. I learned as I gained experience.
Porcelain turned out to be beautiful and difficult media to work with. Porcelain was what I was looking for.
There is a very attractive similarity between porcelain making and work of an architect. Both are beautiful combination of art, science and engineering...I still love architecture and miss it...
Where did you learn the skills?
For my work I need something more complicated than just skills. When I want to make a certain flower in porcelain I need to develop a set of techniques, tools and recipes almost always unique and specific for that flower. Sometimes the process takes years of trial and error. For instance it took me more than 5 years to develop a set of techniques that I use now for making the Lilac, this process is most satisfying and creative part of my work. I carry a sketch book with my technical drawings everywhere in case I need to jot down an idea. Sometimes on vacation l make hundreds of drawings on my Ipad or a sketchbook.
Which is your favourite flower and why?
I don’t have a favorite flower, but I always have a few flowers of interest. The ones I am developing, the ones that I am constantly thinking about. When I am ready I make them.
I would describe my pieces as sculptures about flowers. These sculptures can be very important part of interior. Some flowers are more monumental then others and can have architectural presence. In such cases I make towering Hollyhocks or large peonies, a tree of Lilac or Pomegranate. When I need something miniature I make Lily of the Valley or Thistle.
A lot can be said in the language of flowers.
Where do you find inspiration?
I love plants. I like to study their structure and anatomy, their shape and evolution of their species.
I am using flowers as a theme, a topic, an occasion for my work. I could work on portraits or landscapes, but I chose plants as an object that I happen to love.
By the way, flowers and plants are arguably the most common topic of art and architecture in history. Ancient, classical and gothic architecture, medieval tapestry and Japanese weapons, Dutch still life, Van Gogh’s sunflowers, Warhol flower prints etc. etc.
Your work has been shown at The State Hermitage Museum, what does that mean to you?
It is a huge honor for any artist to have a solo show in the very heart of the Hermitage Museum, Winter Palace.
The show was big - 59 mostly large pieces in two halls.
I have a special connection to the Hermitage. For many years I lived in St. Petersburg (then Leningrad). I visited the Hermitage almost every day, not only to look at the incredible art collection, but just to be there. Often I took my sketchbook with me and worked on my own project sitting in the magnificent atmosphere of the museum. Just being there makes you a better person. Of course at that time I could not even dream that someday I would show my work there.
If you could have your portrait done by anyone living or deceased, who would it be and why?
I cringe when someone says or does something pompous and needlessly serious. I would choose an artist who is (was) funny, with irreverent, acidic sense of humor. For example one of my heroes, Saul Steinberg. What a treat it would be!
Certainly I would agree to pose for Leonardo da Vinci,
but only as a Mona Lisa. I could work on my mysterious half smile.
Hermitage asked me to draw a self portrait for the
catalogue. Here it is:
The above interview with Vladimir Kanevsky 2020 © Manner of Man Magazine. All rights reserved. Reproduction is strictly prohibited without written permission from the publisher.