NEW YORK: Ana Tzarev’s Exhibition “Russian Fairytales” Comes to Life in a Magical Way

On December 8th hundreds of art lovers attended Ana Tzarev’s exhibition titled, Russian Fairytales. The exhibition of the artists work was presented at her gallery located at 24 W 57th Street in Manhattan. This was the forth unique, major exhibition for the internationally recognized artist in New York City this year.

Whenever you go to an Ana Tzarev exhibition you are likely to experience an emotional connection to beauty which can in turn take you, the participating observer, to a place of peace, hope, abundance; - a magical shrine that’s vulnerable to the reality that waits upon departure. Part of what makes the exhibition interesting is that the paintings take you back in a time of ancient fairytale and this feeling is communicated primarily by the use of choice, balance, playfulness of color as well as the characters faces. Simultaneously, the observer knows that he or she is in the present due to the fresh contemporary painting style consisting of large layered brush strokes and the fluidity of shape of the subject matter. You can feel that Ana Tzarev paints in the moment with more than enthusiasm; a vitality continues to vibrate on the painting long after it has been completed, thus this can be equated to the moral strength a fairy tale exudes. The moral lesson in a story is never wavering but is itself always absolute and as a reader or observer you want to feel that presence which communicates; “I am here, let’s dance,” and this characteristic is also what Ana Tzarev’s work has captured. The princess and the love story in a painting are expressed by the interplay of symphonic colors that mesmerize the viewer making them fall in love with something ethereal and new. The “good” in the fairytale can be compared to the artist’s intention as to where they want to transport us; if it feels good than you know where you are. The “evil” in a fairytale can be equated when all of the above elements in a painting go awry and a big bad wolf with its jaws open, hiding behind the tree, awaits the girl to arrive.

The well known art critic, Dr. Alexander Borovsky writes regarding the style of the above work: “As it seems to me, in her depiction of form Tzarev strives, perhaps subconsciously, to give magical life to the world of objects. This is why ordinary household objects are so clearly “animated,” that is, “crafted” with a certain tactile drive that goes beyond simple depiction, this life giving painterly force appears, as it were, “on its own,” spontaneously.”

I had a chance to ask the artist a few questions about her work:

- What is your connection to Russian fairytales? “As a young girl I had Russian fairytales read to me by my Russian grandmother like teacher, who was herself Russian.”

-What do they evoke in your creative mind and what do they allow you to do artistically? “For a number of years I was spellbound by the fantastical quality of fairytales and their extreme depiction of good, evil, greed, beauty, etc. These elements in fairytales expanded my imagination, for everything in the stories became larger than everyday life and anything was possible for the reader/participant if only they aired on the side of good! From the artistic perspective they allow the painter to enlarge the landscape, colors, flowers, animals, jewels, the characters and all these elements melt in one heavenly place, the canvas and the canvas of one’s imagination: Thus these worlds becomes a united magical place and that is what I hope the observer will experience. Each tale is dipped into the rich folklore traditions. One of my favorite ones is called Salt – for the story has an added twist of luck combined with street smarts that even a fool, the main character in the story can come across. It is what he does with that luck, of finding salt that determines his faith and the positive outcome of the story. Salt, teaches us not to take anything as it first appears and not to make a hasty judgment about a person that may seem to be a fool at first. My message to the viewer regarding this work would be to show what a wonderfully rich reservoir of century old value tales are present in other cultures. The west would benefit from experiencing them, for it is the historical deposit of stories that teach us the lessons of danger, peril, and evil vs. good and at the same time light up our imagination and expand the boundaries of life itself,” said the prolific, thought provoking artist.

Ana Tzarev’s life parallels a fairytale, a kind of story in which the main character starts out as poor and in dire circumstances. Ana was born in Croatia at the pre dawn of World War 2 (1937). As a young girl Ana and her family experienced war, death and the extreme hardships conflict usually brings. As a result of these past experiences Ana Tzarev’s themes often include the dispossessed. The artists brushstrokes are kind to all her subjects, exemplifying dignity to those that land on her canvas, no matter how the world may perceive them. The story has a long middle in which the main character (Ana and family) using determination, creativity and smarts fight their way toward the light. On her journey Ana discovers Prince Robert Chandler who takes her to New Zealand and together they have three sons, Richard, Christopher and George. Motherhood is successful. In the latter part of the story the main character finds herself both spiritually, as a human being and as an artist, though the process and the story continue. One can say that Ana Tzarev had a previous life in this lifetime as a very successful business woman who with her husband Robert Chandler founded Chandler House Stores, in New Zealand. She was a creative force in the company as a designer of home furnishings and textiles. She devoted her time and attention to painting and sculpture when she was in her fifties. Ana Tzarev has a successful international career as she exhibits throughout the world. In September she exhibited at the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia and in November at the Santralistanbul Main Gallery in Istanbul, Turkey and subsequently in the spring of 2012 France (Cite’ Internationale des Arts, Paris) as well as in London at the Saatchi Gallery in early summer of 2012. Her work is held in collections throughout Europe, Asia, and the United States as well as Australia and New Zealand. Though Mrs. Tzarev and her family are well to do, they believe in helping people help themselves, primarily through education. The family has “Viva” and Rumi schools and many other institutions for learning. The artist’s son Christopher started the Legatum Foundation which devotes its resources to eradicating non-specific tropical diseases. “Anything in life is possible provided you have an education, for that is the framework from which one can build many aspirations. I believe that my actions show that I’m patriotic to humanity and perhaps my weakness is that I have a compulsion to leave beauty behind.” Ana Tzarev’s work, Russian Fairytales, captures the mystery, beauty, grandeur and magic that are ancient Russian fairytales. They are sprinkled upon our eyes by the brush strokes and imagination of this fine artist. The Ana Tzarev exhibit, Russian Fairytales, runs through February 12, 2012. Go see it for you never know which image will transport you to the land of ancient tales. Once there, you can play a new character in a role that fancies you most. For more information go to www.AnaTzarev.com