"Showcases" by Konstantin Sterkhov

Erarta Museum opens to the public the exhibition "Showcases" of the famous St. Petersburg watercolor master Konstantin Sterkhov.

A series of works presented at the exhibition is called Window Shopping. This English expression means looking at shop windows or goods without the intention of buying them. Konstantin Sterkhov also invites the viewer to stare at the elegant mannequins and expensive showrooms.

The artist masterly recreates the texture of fabrics: we feel the softness of knitwear and cashmere, the luxury of furs and silk. However, behind the external brilliance lies internal concern. The author conveys in his works the dissatisfaction that a person experiences in the constant pursuit of the material: it is unlikely that any of us will become a better version of ourselves after buying a new thing.

The world that Sterkhov creates in his watercolors is twofold: the serene "life" of mannequins is opposed to the chaos of everyday life. Perhaps it is precisely the unattainable ideal of shop windows that attracts people to them, forcing them to wander around shopping centers for hours. However, even the most exclusive things wear out quickly - and modern culture is making a sharp turn towards conscious consumption. The sophisticated equipment and expensive clothes cease to be synonymous with a happy life.

The exhibition "Showcases" will be available to viewers from February 13 to May 11. Admission is by ticket or free of charge by Subscription.

About the author:

Konstantin Sterkhov was born in 1968 in Izhevsk. A graduate of the St. Petersburg State Academic Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture named after I.E. Repin at the Russian Academy of Arts (1997). Member of the Union of Artists of Russia, St. Petersburg Society of Watercolorists and the Society of Watercolorists of Finland.

The author’s works are in the collections of the Udmurt Republican Museum of Fine Arts (Izhevsk, Russia), the Museum of Paper and Watermarks (Fabriano, Italy), the Museum of the Itya-Häme Region (Hartola, Finland), as well as in corporate and private collections in Russia, Europe, Asia, America and Australia.