Natalia Kostaki

“The Images”

Solo Exhibition

September 10 – October 10, 2020

Press Release

MaLou Art Consulting & Gallery is pleased to present the online solo exhibition “The Images”, an exposition of paintings and works on paper by the contemporary artist Natalia Kostaki. Natalia is an artist in her own right who depicts religious and mythological images, but in a very unusual modern reading. She works successfully in various techniques. She is not only a master painter in acrylics but also an artist in ceramics, graphics, smalt mosaics, creating unique objects of applied art. She is the creator of new styles in graphics /illustrations and painting.

Natalia was born into the family of an outstanding collector of the Russian avant-garde, George Kostakis. She grew up in an amazing house where an atmosphere of great love for the art reigned, where paintings by Wassily Kandinskiy and Kazimir Malevich, Lyubov Popova and Natalia Gocharova were hung up on the walls. But this modernistic environment did not affect Natalia greatly. Instead, thanks to her own talent, she developed her own imaginative artistic style. She has created a unique visual aesthetics.

She is laureate of the Prize of the International Art Salon “The Way of Unity”. She was awarded a medal for “merits in the development of art”. N. Kostaki’s works are exhibited in museums, galleries and private collections in Russia and abroad, including the Department of Private Collections in the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow and in the collection of the Kolodzey Art Foundation / USA.

Moreover, Natalia Kostaki is a Member of the International Art Fund, the Center for Spiritual and Moral Unity “Future”, and the Greek-Slavic Community “Paradigma”.

 

Natalia Kostaki about her art

“- I thought about what the direction of my art could be called. Someone said that this is psychophysics. Maybe this definition has something to do with my direction, but it is too mechanistic. Once, when I was just starting to paint, my husband called my style a religious avant-garde. It seems to me that what I am doing is very closely related to symbolism.

This trend is characterized by the liberation of painting from the “shackles of authenticity.” Symbolist artists used mythology, allegory, and biblical subjects in their works. My compositions depict not concrete realistic images, but the moment of their birth from energetic substances. I prefer absolute freedom, the abstract self-expression. It seems to me that there is a soul in my works that speaks on my behalf. However, I find it difficult to assert anything.

This is the privilege of art critics. Irina Pronina, senior researcher at the Tretyakov Gallery, says: “N. Kostaki’s work tends towards monumentality. On the one hand, it carries the idea of space, but on the other hand, of the vital forces of nature. Therefore, Natalia approaches her own solution of the theme that was developed by the organic direction in the art of the avant-garde. “

Natalia Kostaki

Natalia Kostaki BIO

Natalia Georgievna Kostaki was born and raised in Moscow in the family of the famous collector of the Russian avant-garde, Georgios Kostakis.

Natalia graduated from the Stroganov Moscow State University of Arts and Industry. The artist works in the field of design, painting, graphics and mosaics.

She is a Member of the International Art Fund, the Center for Spiritual and Moral Unity “Future”, and the Greek-Slavic community “Paradigma”.

She is Laureate of the Prize of the International Art Salon “The Way of Unity”. She was awarded a medal for “merits in the development of art”. N. Kostaki’s works are exhibited in museums, galleries and private collections in Russia and abroad, including the Department of Private Collections in the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow and in the collection of the Kolodzey Art Foundation / USA.

Natalia Kostaki lives and works in Athens.

Solo exhibitions

1995   Promgrafika Gallery, Moscow, Russia

1996   Aenaon Gallery, Athens, Greece

1998   Moscow’s House of Friendship, Moscow, Russia

1999   Cultural Center of Kifissia’s Municipality, Athens. Greece

2001   Crosna Gallery, Moscow, Russia

2002   Moscow’s House of Nationalities, Moscow, Russia

2005   Museum ‘’Zverev’s Centre of Modern Art, Moscow, Russia

2007  Elena Berezkina Foundation for the Support of Visual  Arts ERA, Moscow,Russia

2008  Moscow’s House of Nationalities, Moscow, Russia

2008  President Hotel, Moscow, Russia

2010  Ozerov House, Kolomna, Russia

2012  State Institute of Art History, Moscow, Russia

2016  Moscow’s House of Nationalities, Moscow, Russia

2019   Museum “Zverev’s Centre of Modern Art, Moscow, Russia

Natalia Kostaki  has also participated in many group exhibitions.