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The Artist
"I
want people to hear the music in my paintings," says Zinovy
Shersher.
Born
and raised in the former Soviet Union, Zinovy
Shersher began his
artistic life in his early youth. Already attending music school, he
began to study art at the age of 9. Once he had finished high school,
Shersher began his studies at the University of Fine Arts in the city of
Kursk. After being awarded the Master of Arts degree in 1970, he
enrolled in the College of Music, graduating in 1976.
In 1972
Shersher moved to Moscow, where he unofficially began his career in
visual arts. Since he refused to paint politically-related images, such
as portraits of Soviet political leaders, the Soviet authorities would
not allow Shersher to exhibit his art to the public. With the help of
his friends, he showed his works of art in underground exhibitions, in
secrecy from the authorities. Regardless of the obstacles on the
path of his artistic career, Shersher did not give up his creativity and
continued to work in both visual arts and in music. Since public
exhibitions of his works were not allowed, Shersher began to concentrate
on his music. In order to be able to perform as a musician, composer and
poet, however, he was required to change his name from the Jewish
Shersher to the Russian-sounding Tumanov. After immigrating to the
United States in 1980, Zinovy Shersher returned to the use of his real
name.
Upon
arrival in the United States, Shersher enrolled in New York's
prestigious School of Visual Arts. It was not long before his art was
flourishing with his new found freedom and began to receive critical
acclaim in one-person and group shows in New York galleries.
A
composer as well as a painter, Shersher creates lyrical paintings which
merge the emotional and intellectual into melodic images of passionate
tranquility. Strong feelings for movement, expressed with
curvilinear lines and cubist sensibilities, form a counterpoint to the
artist's peaceful and harmonious themes.
"Zinovy
Shersher's work creates a unique, capacious and dynamic form, filled
with interplay between space and color. It displays a matured, personal
esthetic and world view..." - Sam Feiginov,
professor
.
Today,
his work is featured in significant collections throughout the United
States and Europe. In Los Angeles, where he currently resides,
Shersher's art has been exhibited in number of galleries.
One
of Shersher's most important works has drawn considerable attention in
Los Angeles, particularly in the Aliso-Pico area where artist installed
a 2,000 square foot mural entitled "We have a future." He
donated six months of his time to this project which earned him numerous
awards, the Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Los Angeles and
the appreciation of community residents.
In
1992, Shersher was commissioned to create stained glass windows for the
Russian Chabbad Synagogue in Los Angeles. In windows, in his own
style, he created historical compositions of Moses, first Temple, God
Creation of the World, etc.
In
1993 he was commissioned to do a painting with the portraits of First
Oscar winners for the 65-th anniversary of the Oscars.
In
addition to galleries, he is also represented by the R&S Gallery of
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art and The Hollywood Entertainment
Museum.
Zinovy
Shersher is an award winning member of The Oil Pastel Association.
More
then 100 articles, TV and Radio interviews devoted to Zinovy Shersher.
His biography is in the "Encyclopedia of living artists in
America", "Who is who in Art" and "Who is who in the
West".
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