Anatoliy Kostiuk is a graphic artist. He was born in Kemerovo in 1971, and he is a member of the Union of Russian Artists All-Russian Creative Public Organization, and of the International Association of Art AIAP UNESCO (2002).
Head of the Department of Theology, Culture, and Arts Natalya Parfentyeva explains how important such exhibitions held at SUSU are:
"It is very important that students understand that there exists a whole different world out there. Mathematicians, physicists, or journalists – for all of them it is important to know that there exists a world of creativity, which some people devote their whole lives and their talents to. And it is especially precious when we have a chance to exhibit works by outstanding masters. We can fully enjoy them, can see the whole versatility of the world, and become closer the artists' talent."
The "Creating the Dynamics of Space" exhibition of paintings and graphics presents 31 works by Anatoliy Kostiuk. The exhibition curators are an art historian Anatoliy Razuev (Head of the SUSU Art Gallery) and an art historian Polina Remezova (research fellow of the Chelyabinsk State Museum of Visual Arts and postgraduate of the SUSU Department of Theology, Culture, and Arts).
"We wished to draw the audience's attention to the very aspect of the artistic form that implies the demonstration of the power of space and its dynamics. Each painting is a power spot for the artist. He transforms the subject into a power or energy representation," shares the exhibition curator Anatoliy Razuev. "By seeing common subjects through his own experience background, the creator builds something unrealistic, an artistic world of his own – this is the main thing that you feel when looking at the works by Anatoliy Kostiuk."
The exhibited works by Anatoliy Kostiuk offer the audience to immerse themselves into a world of artistic images disengaged from modern urban space. This world is inspired by childhood memories, original vision of nature and passion towards travelling. It is filled with symbols and metaphors, which invite you to sort of move to a parallel reality, to the sphere of dreams and soul-searching.
"It is not just a representation of the reality, it is a representation of the states of my soul. I would like it if the audience finds in my paintings something that resonates with their perception of the world, something they can relate to," notes Anatoliy Kostiuk. "An artist's works represent his/her attitude to the world. And exhibitions give an opportunity to enter into a live dialogue with the creator."
The artist's paintings get us thinking about the place of human beings in the world and in nature, and about those aspirations that help us find inspiration and inner harmony. Each work by the artist is self-contained and imbued with the inner dynamics, like it carries a bundle of energy. And the exhibition title puts the focus namely on this aspect of perception for the audience.
"Anatoliy Kostiuk is fluent in any technique. And the pinnacle of it all is the combination of drawing and colour: here we can see ink drawings, watercolours, and sketches. Though at first sight it might seem that he is a realist painter, who depicts things well known to us, but in fact his works are like mini-parables about life and death, about all the processes in the life of people and in nature," says one of the exhibition curators Polina Remezova. "Anatoliy Kostiuk "brings life" to what our eyes see. He "brings life" event to stones, old branches, and boats – all of them have their own character and become living protagonists."
The exhibition is open for visitors at the SUSU Art Gallery (76 Lenin Prospekt), October 13 till November 01, 2025, 10:00 to 17:00 (Saturday: 10:00 to 15:00, Sunday is a day off). Free entrance.