Elena Prudnikova

Candidate of Art History, Associate Professor
at the Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design, member of the St. Petersburg Union of Artists, diploma recipient of the Russian Academy of Arts

Ruslan Anatolyevich Bakhtiyarov

Candidate of Art History, Associate Professor at the Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design, member of the St. Petersburg Union
of Artists, diploma recipient of the Russian Academy of Arts

Ruslan Anatolyevich Bakhtiyarov

"Music and the theme of childhood, or more precisely, the entry into a new, significant life, are
the leitmotifs running through all of Elena Prudnikova's work. Many of her canvases will resonate in the soul of every viewer, evoking memories of their own childhood and youth, awakened by
the artist's talent. For her, music has become a metaphor for the perfect embodiment of beauty—both intangible and tangible at the moment a musician's hands touch the bow of a cello or a flute.

Deliberately muting the resonance of natural color and emphasizing its decorative qualities,
the artist seems to translate the subject from a real, earthly dimension into the realm of creative metaphysics. Prudnikova's characters are as if enveloped in a gentle sfumato. In this way, they are initiated into an atmosphere of harmony and inner balance, which brings their images closer
to the characters in the works of the masters of the Early and High Renaissance.

In her pastel portraits, the artist, while achieving particular accuracy in rendering the model's facial features, characteristic expression, or a vivid detail, strives to capture and convey that very same state of mental equilibrium and inner harmony."

"Music and the theme of childhood, or more precisely, the entry into a new, significant life,
are the leitmotifs running through all of Elena Prudnikova's work. Many of her canvases will resonate in the soul of every viewer, evoking memories of their own childhood and youth, awakened by the artist's talent. For her, music has become a metaphor for the perfect embodiment
of beauty—both intangible and tangible
at the moment a musician's hands touch
the bow of a cello or a flute.

Deliberately muting the resonance of natural color and emphasizing its decorative qualities, the artist seems to translate the subject from a real, earthly dimension into the realm of creative metaphysics. Prudnikova's characters are as if enveloped in
a gentle sfumato. In this way, they are initiated
into an atmosphere of harmony and inner balance, which brings their images closer to the characters in the works of the masters of the Early and High Renaissance.

In her pastel portraits, the artist, while achieving particular accuracy in rendering the model's facial features, characteristic expression, or a vivid detail, strives to capture and convey that very same state of mental equilibrium and inner harmony."

"Music and the theme of childhood, or more precisely, the entry into a new, significant life, are the leitmotifs running through all of Elena Prudnikova's work. Many of her canvases will resonate in the soul of every viewer, evoking memories of their own childhood and youth, awakened by the artist's talent. For her, music has become a metaphor for the perfect embodiment of beauty—both intangible and tangible at the moment a musician's hands touch
the bow of a cello or a flute.

Deliberately muting the resonance of natural color and emphasizing its decorative qualities, the artist seems to translate the subject from a real, earthly dimension into the realm of creative metaphysics. Prudnikova's characters are as if enveloped in a gentle sfumato. In this way, they are initiated into an atmosphere of harmony and inner balance, which brings
their images closer to the characters in the works of the masters of the Early and High Renaissance.

In her pastel portraits, the artist, while achieving particular accuracy
in rendering the model's facial features, characteristic expression,
or a vivid detail, strives to capture and convey that very same state
of mental equilibrium and inner harmony."

Born in 1978 in Chita. In 1997, she graduated from the Chita College of Arts with a degree
in Fine Arts. From 2000 to 2007, she studied at the I.E. Repin St. Petersburg Academy of Arts
in the Faculty of Painting (studios under the guidance of S.D. Kichko, V.V. Zagonek), graduating with honors and receiving commendation from the State Examination Board.

She has been a member of the Union of Artists of Russia since 2008 and the National Union
of Pastelists of Russia. She was a full member of the PSA (Pastel Society of America)
from 2020 to 2021.

She is an active participant in regional, all-Russian, and international exhibitions.
She has held over 20 personal exhibitions.

Elena's works are held in private collections in Russia and abroad, as well as in museums including: the Novocheboksarsk Art Museum, the Ulyanovsk Regional Art Museum,
the Hermitage-Vyborg Exhibition Centre, the Vyatka Art Museum named after V.M. and A.M. Vasnetsov, the K.A. Savitsky Penza Regional Picture Gallery, and the Ozeryov House-Gallery
in Kolomna.

Born in 1978 in Chita. In 1997, she graduated from the Chita College
of Arts with a degree in Fine Arts. From 2000 to 2007, she studied at the I.E. Repin St. Petersburg Academy of Arts in the Faculty of Painting (studios
under the guidance of S.D. Kichko, V.V. Zagonek), graduating with honors
and receiving commendation from the State Examination Board.

She has been a member of the Union of Artists of Russia since 2008
and the National Union of Pastelists of Russia. She was a full member
of the PSA (Pastel Society of America) from 2020 to 2021.

She is an active participant in regional, all-Russian, and international exhibitions. She has held over 20 personal exhibitions.

Elena's works are held in private collections in Russia and abroad, as well as
in museums including: the Novocheboksarsk Art Museum, the Ulyanovsk Regional Art Museum, the Hermitage-Vyborg Exhibition Centre, the Vyatka Art Museum named after V.M. and A.M. Vasnetsov, the K.A. Savitsky Penza Regional Picture Gallery, and the Ozeryov House-Gallery in Kolomna.

Born in 1978 in Chita. In 1997, she graduated
from the Chita College of Arts with a degree
in Fine Arts. From 2000 to 2007, she studied
at the I.E. Repin St. Petersburg Academy of Arts
in the Faculty of Painting (studios under
the guidance of S.D. Kichko, V.V. Zagonek), graduating with honors and receiving commendation from the State Examination Board.

She has been a member of the Union of Artists
of Russia since 2008 and the National Union
of Pastelists of Russia. She was a full member
of the PSA (Pastel Society of America)
from 2020 to 2021.

She is an active participant in regional, all-Russian, and international exhibitions. She has held over 20 personal exhibitions.

Elena's works are held in private collections
in Russia and abroad, as well as in museums including: the Novocheboksarsk Art Museum,
the Ulyanovsk Regional Art Museum,
the Hermitage-Vyborg Exhibition Centre,
the Vyatka Art Museum named after V.M. and A.M. Vasnetsov, the K.A. Savitsky Penza Regional Picture Gallery, and the Ozeryov House-Gallery
in Kolomna.