Igor Dmitrievich Chetvertkov
Born in 1956 in Moscow.
Graduated from the theatre department of the Moscow Art School of 1905 in 1977. From his first year, he attended the studio of A.G. Tyshler.
Since 1987 – Member of the Union of Artists of Russia. Since 1991 – Member of the Union of Theatre Workers of Russia.
More information on the personal website: http://www.ichetvertkov.narod.ru
Works in collections
His works are held in the Bakhrushin Central Theatre Museum,
Children's Theatre Museum in Moscow,
Theatre Library in St. Petersburg,
Art Museum in Sevastopol,
Art Gallery in Vologda,
as well as in private collections in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kyiv, Vologda, Sevastopol, Magadan, Vladimir, and in Finland, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, England, Japan, and the USA.
Exhibitions and auctions
1979 All-Union Exhibition of Theatre and Cinema. Central Exhibition Hall "Manege", Moscow. (catalogue);
1982 All-Union Youth Exhibition "Youth of the Country". Central Exhibition Hall "Manege", Moscow. (catalogue);
1983 Prague Quadrennial-83. Prague. (catalogue);
1986 Solo exhibition. Moscow;
1989 European Exhibition "Our Chekhov". (catalogue);
1989 All-Union Exhibition of Theatre and Cinema. Central House of Artists, Moscow. (catalogue);
1990 "Russian Art". Ligato Gallery, Los Angeles, USA;
1991 Exhibition of Russian artists. Anchorage, Alaska, USA;
1992 Solo exhibition at "Art Gallery", Kremlin, Moscow. (booklet);
1993 Solo exhibition. Central House of Artists, Moscow;
1993 Solo exhibition. Chersonesos Historical and Archaeological Museum-Reserve;
1993 Art Museum, Sevastopol;
1994 Solo exhibition. Central House of Artists, Moscow;
1994 Solo exhibition. Vologda Union of Artists;
1994 Republican Exhibition of Theatre and Cinema. Nizhny Novgorod;
1995 Solo exhibition. Akimov Comedy Theatre, St. Petersburg;
1995 Solo exhibition. "RosArt" Gallery, St. Petersburg;
1995 Solo exhibition. VGTRK (Television), Moscow;
1996 Solo exhibition. Central House of Artists, Moscow;
1996 "Art Manege", Moscow.
Author about himself
"Model"
The Artist has his own palette of Sounds,
From which a Model of the world is born,
A Model of Consciousness,
A Model of Sensations.
Colors are the meaning of his being.
Rhythms are the vessels into which the Light of Truth penetrates.
And so – Music arises...
Model of the Chain
The engine of consciousness is like a Chain.
The model is the fruit of the Subconscious.
The Subconscious is the fruit of the Spirit’s Consciousness.
A breath is fixation of Sensation.
Sensation is fixation of Truth.
Breath and fixation – Subconscious.
Spirit’s Consciousness – transcendent.
Transcendence is the Idea.
The Artist’s Idea is a Version.
The Version is a link in the Chain.
The Chain is the engine of Consciousness.
The Engine is the Heart.
The Heart is the Engine of Life.
Life of the Heart is the voice of Nature.
Nature is the voice of the Soul.
Soul is the body of Truth.
Truth is the body of Sound.
Sound is the body of the Soul.
Body is the matter of Consciousness.
Matter is the body of Nature.
Rain – catharsis of Nature.
Catharsis – spiritual Rain.
Critic
Igor Chetvertkov graduated from the Moscow Regional Art School in memory of 1905, where I taught the course in theatrical composition from 1973 to 1977. Possessing enormous industriousness and eager to master his profession as quickly as possible to work independently, he managed to do two or three times more than other students...
...Igor had many teachers in those years. He studied the works of T. Selvinskaya and B. Messerer. He once knocked on the door of A.G. Tyshler (something I, loving this artist, once did not dare to do), showed his student works, and afterwards received advice from him several times...
...After graduating from school, the young artist's creative activity was stimulated by directors’ proposals to realize his theatrical ideas in practice. This period brought the joy of communication with interesting directors and the bitterness of disappointment when collaborating with those who were creatively distant. Together with director O. Karsten, he staged the play by F. Dumanour and A.F. Dennery "Don Cesar de Bazan" in Dzerzhinsk...
...A new proposal to design a production of A.P. Chekhov's "The Seagull" at the GITIS training theatre gave rise to many new drawings and sketches of scenery and costumes. Understanding how the theatrical space varies depending on the dramaturgical development became more multi-faceted and profound...
...In 1980, Igor worked with the dramatic theatre in Kirov, designing productions of "Intrigue and Love" by F. Schiller, "These Loving Women" by Robert Thomas – with director Roguretsky, "The Humpbacked Horse" by P.P. Ershov, "The Young Mistress of Niskavuori" by H. Wuolijoki – with director S.Dogadkin. The last of these productions was the most successful, but even in it, many of the artist’s ideas remained unrealized...
...As if as a reward to the artist persistently seeking his theatre and his director, Igor’s collaboration with director F. Berman on the production "Bonjour, Edith Piaf!" at the Vladimir Regional Drama Theatre named after A.V. Lunacharsky was significant...
...Igor Chetvertkov works a lot. He tries himself in different genres, designs variety shows, puppet productions, creates series of graphic and pictorial works, and persistently seeks ways to more fully express his artistic and personal individuality.
From S. Benediktov’s article "Igor Chetvertkov", collection "Soviet Theatre and Film Artists", No. 6, publisher "Soviet Artist", 1984.
I am pleased that Igor mentions me among his teachers. We communicated a lot. I have always found his human and artistic qualities exceptionally appealing, with that calmness in his face, with the persistence of the artist in achieving his goals. His work seemed kindred to me from the beginning. Later, I was repeatedly convinced that my first impressions were not accidental, but logically true for his entire subsequent life.
Igor's work changes greatly and goes through various periods, cycles, which is close and pleasing to me. Behind this there is a serious and honest artistic search.
I can always recognize his pieces, be it in theatre, easel painting, or graphics. The ability to work in various genres seems logical for any artist, but for a stage designer it is rare, because only an artist working for himself, without hope for quick success, working consistently and with a desire to reach some spiritual heights in pure art, can successfully apply his gift.
Boris Messerer. Interview for the film "Artist Igor Chetvertkov" Program "Vis-à-vis" 1993
Bibliography
G. Kovalenko "Moscow Exhibition: Results of the 1977-1978 Season", Ed. "Soviet Theatre and Film Artists-79", Moscow, 1981;
G. Kovalenko "Moscow Exhibitions: Results of the 1978-1979 and 1979-1980 Seasons", Ed. "Soviet Theatre and Film Artists" No.5, Moscow, 1983;
S. Benediktov "Igor Chetvertkov", Ed. "Soviet Theatre and Film Artists" No. 6, Moscow, 1984;
F. Syrkina "All-Union Exhibition of Theatre and Film Artists", Journal "Art", No.4, 1979;
"About Theatre, Film and Television Artists", Leningrad, "Artist RSFSR", 1984;
M. Pozharskaya "Main Trends of Modern Theatre and Scenery Art", pp.23-50;
M. Pozharskaya "Results of the Season of Moscow Theatre Artists", "Theatre" magazine, No.6, 1979;
M. Pozharskaya "Results of the Season 1978-1979", "Theatre" magazine, No.4, 1980;
N. Trifonova "Results of the Season 1979-80", "Theatre" magazine, No.5, 1981;
B. Messerer "Exhibition of Moscow Artists of Theatre, Cinema and Television", p.67, collection "Artist and Stage", 1988;
A. Vasiliev "Meeting of the Scenographic Committee in Tokyo", p.388, collection "Artist and Stage", 1988;
"Theatre Life" magazine, No.1, 1986, cover;
M. Gurevich "Theatre Begins with the Poster Pillar", "Theatre" magazine, No.12, 1988;
V. Berezkin "Young Theatre Artists", Ed. "Soviet Artist", Moscow, 1984;
V. Berezkin "Art of Designing Performances", p.78, "Znanie", Moscow, 1986;
V. Berezkin "The Artist in Chekhov's Theatre", pp.145, 116-117, "Fine Art";
V. Berezkin "Our Chekhov" (Our Chekhov "Prague Quadrennial-87"), Moscow, 1987;
Exhibition catalogue "Prague Quadrennial-83. Young Theatre Artists";
N. Uvarova "Under the Sign of Theatre", pp.24-25, "Theatre Life" magazine, No.4, 1992;
I. Chetvertkov "Exhibition Booklet at 'Art Gallery', Kremlin, Moscow";
O. Kasyanenko "Shelf Secrets", newspaper "Evening Petersburg", 16.02.95;
Exhibition catalogue "Art Manege-96". Moscow, 1996, p.120;
Encyclopedia "Cultural Fund of Russia", Moscow, 1996, p.93;
G. Kovalenko "La Scene Moderne", p.405, 796, Giovanni Lista, Carre, Paris.
Works 27
