I’ve never really seen despair in my works, but I’ve always wanted my paintings to be some kind of a window so that the viewer could choose what to see and feel when he or she looks at the world through it
Mikhail Levius is a spectacular representative of the new generation in figurative visual art. Working as a co-curator of the Polygraphic Shop Exhibition venue, the artist uses the visual language that features multipart images and graphic techniques used in paintings. His collage method includes use of multiple stencil plates that he uses to print his canvases layer by layer.
Levius’s works refer to an extensive set of images borrowed from Manga and American horror movies. His distinctive method implies designing peculiar toys that kindle your imagination. Solid compositions, lots of details, abundance of characters and architectural elements - all of these invite the viewer to try and develop the plot further. The artist’s most recent works are based on the opposition of statics and dynamics, detailed and distant views, realistic and abstract images.
Many times Mikhail became the winner of regional competitions for emerging artists and in 2006 he got the Governor’s Culture and Art Prize. His solo exhibitions took place in the pop/off/art gallery and the Polygraphic Shop Art Center in Moscow. Works by Mikhail Levius can be found in the collections of the Peace Square Museum Center (Krasnoyarsk) and the SPHERE Contemporary Art Foundation (Moscow).