Nikolai Sazhin

about the artist

Sazhin’s idiosyncratic works are easily distinguishable from any others within the Erarta collection. Following a formal classical education, Sazhin was able to refine his technique in such a way so as to adapt it to his revolutionary subject matter whilst still being true to his creative goals.

One of the distinctive aspects of his artistic manner is the recurring appearance of lush pears and erotic forms. These almost echo O’Keeffe’s work in the 1920s and 1930s, but in a contemporary setting. The tonalities of the works are more profound at darker shades, and the way in which Sazhin manages to keep the viewer breathless with anticipation by using four shades at most is truly impressive.

An astonishing thing about his works is that they are simultaneously abstract and figurative without giving the impression of being discordant. Such pieces as ‘Twosome’ seem to contain a series of images which allude to nature (i.e. frogs), but somehow manage to remain abstract.

Nikolay Sazhin was born in Troitsk, Chelyabinsk Oblast, in 1948. His extensive interest in the art and fine arts in particular brought him to the Serov Art School, one of the dominant artistic establishments at the time. Having graduated from the Serov School, Sazhin went on to be accepted by and flourish at the graphic arts department of the Repin Academy of Fine Arts. Having graduated in 1978, he taught and inspired young talents at the Serov Art School up until 1989.

Sazhin’s unique teaching methods and widespread popularity with his students saw him being welcomed as a guest lecturer at Washington State University and Reed College in Portland, Oregon. These high-profile teaching positions between 1989 and 1990 secured him the title of Honorary Professor at the National Academy of Art and Design in St. Petersburg from 1997 onwards. The artist passed away on 2 April 2019.

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biography

Selected Solo Exhibitions:

2010 Erarta Museum and Galleries of Contemporary Art, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
2008 The Museum of Applied Arts of the State Saint Petersburg Academy of Art and Design, Saint Petersburg, Russia..
2008 ART re.FLEX Gallery, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
2004 The State Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
2004 The Museum of Urban Sculpture, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
2000 Modern Art Gallery «Avrora», Tver, Russia.
1999 Museum of Nonconformist Art (Pushkinskaya, 10), Saint Petersburg, Russia.
1997 Palitra Art Gallery, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
1995 State Art Gallery, Novosibirsk, Russia.
1994 Palitra Art Gallery, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
1994 Exhibition Hall «Fiodor», Sestroretsk, Russia.
1993 Mars Art Gallery, Moscow, Russia.
1993 Davidson Art Gallery, Seattle, Washigton, USA.
1991 Exhibition Hall «Fiodor», Sestroretsk, Russia.
1991 Diaghilev Art Center, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
1991 Davidson Art Gallery, Seattle, Washington, USA.
1988 Museum of Art and History, Vyborg, USSR.
1988 Lenfilm Motion Picture Studio, Leningrad, USSR.
1988 Carolyn Staley Art Gallery, Portland, Oregon, USA.
1985 Sverdlov Culture Palace, Club «Vernisazh», Leningrad, USSR

Selected Public and Private Collections:

The State Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia;
Erarta Museum and Galleries of Contemporary Art, Saint Petersburg, Russia;
The Russian National Library. Saint Petersburg, Russia;
Akhmatova Museum at Fontanny Dom. Saint Petersburg, Russia;
Central Exhibition Hall «Manege». Saint Petersburg, Russia;
Saint Petersburg State University. Saint Petersburg, Russia;
Museum of Nonconformist Art (Pushkinskaya, 10). Saint Petersburg, Russia;
The Pushkin Fine Arts Museum. Moscow, Russia;
The State Art Museum. Tallinn, Estonia;
The Regional Art Gallery. Novosibirsk, Russia;
The Regional Art and Historic Museum. Ryazan, Russia;
Zimmerli Art Museum. New Jersey, USA;
Erotic Art Museum. Hamburg, Germany;
The State Museum of International Art. Beijing, China;
Versailles University. Versailles, France;
Republican Art Museum of Karelia. Petrozavodsk, Russia;
The Diaghilev Art Center. Saint Petersburg, Russia;
The Contemporary Art Museum. Sosnovy Bor, Russia;
Urban Architecture Museum. Saint Petersburg, Russia;
The Regional Art Gallery. Tver, Russia;
The Kasteev State Art Museum. Almaty, Kazakhstan;
The Kustodiev Art Gallery. Astrakhan, Russia;
The State Museum of Contemporary Art of Tatarstan. Kazan, Russia;
The Regional Art Museum. Tomsk, Russia;
The Vereshagin Art Museum. Nikolaev. Ukraine;
The State Art Gallery. Magnitogorsk, Russia;
Museum of Russian Academy of Art. Saint Petersburg, Russia;
The Regional Art Museum. Murmansk, Russia.
Sazhin’s works can also be found in private collections in Russia, France, Germany, USA, Italy, Switzerland, Israel, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Japan, China