Translated material
Portrait against the background of circumstances
Photo by Sergey Belkovsky
Our famous fellow countryman, secular portrait painter Igor Belkovsky these days visiting Chelyabinsk with his wife and daughter Nastya, whose fate was followed by the whole country four years ago.
On the eve of his 50th anniversary, the artist wants to take a break from the metropolitan bustle, stay with loved ones, look back and thank those who over many years provide moral and material support to the family. Our conversation about the astrologer’s prediction, new works and successes of his daughter, who, despite the terrible tragedy, continues to fight circumstances and ... dreams of marriage.
Nastya Belkovskaya is very glad to meet with relatives and her hometown, which always loved and continues to love. She was not going to change the registration, despite the fact that she spent most of her time in the capital. Recall that a Muscovite according to the documents was made by a terrible car accident, as a result of which in December 2008 a 24-year-old girl lost both legs, miraculously remaining alive. The decision to change the registration was made by parents while the daughter was in a coma. They understood that there are many social problems ahead. How difficult parents were not easy for parents, Nastya understood, passing the later stages of reached. “It would be great if every day you had a new order for the picture ...”-she once said to her father.
- Every day according to the picture ... I would beware of such a thing. Orders are exhausted. But on the other hand, they are invigorating - there is something for what and what to live on, - Igor admits.
- Creativity cannot be planned. I made a portrait of Vladimir Vasiliev, who headed the Nord-Ost liberation operation, the long-term chairman of the State Duma Security Committee made a gift for the 60th anniversary. Then he wrote a businessman from Chelyabinsk - and for three years there was a complete lull. By the way, the Chelyabinsk astrologer made me two years ago a calculation of the planets and predicted that a two -year “calm” ahead, and by the age of 50, a take -off, both creative and financial. The anniversary is not far off, and life really justifies the star forecast. Clients went one by one. Now I make two portraits by order of the construction tycoon from Turkey. From Crimea to Moscow, I specifically arrived for a meeting for one day. They posed in the workshop, made copies of sketches, chose the most successful for work.
A nice man of about 35, I liked him.
- And if you hadn't liked it? After all, there are not too charismatic people ...
- If I don’t like the hero ... I will work anyway. A person orders a picture - this is a plus. After all, we must have certain brains to reach the artist and ask to write a portrait. There are very charismatic, but completely unsuspecting that there is painting, people in the world. And there are, unfortunately, the majority. Recently they gathered with “Surikov” friends, shared their fears, discussed young people who, besides computers, do not think about anything at all. How will we live? ..
Meanwhile, this year I was pleasantly surprised by the young man, the vice president of one Moscow bank. He asked to make a portrait of his girlfriend. I gave her for her birthday. Thus, apparently, he showed himself in the eyes of her wealthy parents. But the main customers are still those for 50. For Kobzon, he recently made portraits of his two granddaughters. Joseph Davydovich decided to perpetuate his descendants in painting. Five more grandchildren at the kobzons, so I will not stay without work (laughs). Now there are already seven of my portraits in his collection, and Nikas Safronov only one pencil drawings of the 80s hangs in a home gallery. As a gift for anniversaries (40 years of marriage and 75 years Kobzon), which will be held on September 11, I made a pair portrait of Joseph Davydovich with my wife. By the way, a film about kobzons is shot by order of Channel One. A large plot about our family entered it.
Not every wealthy person is ready to meet other people, to help someone. According to Igor Belkovsky, Joseph Kobzon and in this regard was a unique man. It was he who helped Nastya purchase prostheses.
“When we realized that expensive prosthetics would have to be done in Germany, they called Kobzon,” Igor recalls. - Just a week later, they contacted us from the Moscow Social Protection Department and invited to come for money. Moreover, thanks to the resolution of Yuri Luzhkov, “to allocate funds” for the first time in the history of the department issued a solid amount “cash”.
Nastya is not bad now. True, the mood is changeable: from joy to despondency, one step. Energy - at least give up! Before the disaster, she was very active, ran everywhere, managed everything. She even wants it now. Moreover, there is a feeling that everything can do everything, but this is not so. All the deposits of ideas have to be embodied by parents.
“Every day I leave for the workshop, I sit out there until the evening,” the artist admits, “and Natasha and Nastya together around the clock.” The wife carries a daughter for all kinds of training, classes, procedures, as well as powerlifting. In Austria, at the World Fitness and Crickets Championship, Nastya became the world champion in the category of model paraffites. Moreover, preparations for the championship at her coach Lilia Osia, the world champion in model fitness, took just two months. Nastya was in good shape, did not stop playing sports, despite what had happened. On the eve of his departure to Austria, it turned out that our passports were expired. And again Kobzon came to the rescue. Not only paid for our entire family abroad, but also agreed with the head of Ovir on assistance. Passports were made in unrealistic deadlines.
Since childhood, Nastya dreamed of meeting Vyacheslav Zaitsev. Upon learning of this, Joseph Davydovich immediately called the model friend, who was at that moment in Paris. A meeting was scheduled after a week in the House of Fashion Zaitsev. The director of the famous couturier spoke pretty formally with the Belkovsky, said: "You will drive up, give an autograph, shove a hand - and that’s it." But in the end, with Zaitsev and Kobzon, Nastya talked about three hours, at the same time the television people made the film “The Point of Return” about her. Zaitsev liked her sketches. After this meeting, the girl began to actively draw clothing models. A new creative stage has begun. The masters inspired, instilled the belief that Nastya was able to become a real fashion designer.
It was not just that Igor return to creativity. The first six months after the tragedy, he could not write at all. He approached a clean canvas, looked at him and saw ... blackness. But then “pink flamingo”, “swan” began to appear ... - very beautiful and joyful paintings. Probably contrary to circumstances. Last year, Belkovsky wrote a portrait of Nastya to his daughter's birthday. She so dreamed that dad captured her precisely in an evening dress and in growth. This work is essentially the feat of the artist. Write a growth portrait, knowing that the daughter has no legs ...
What do you think is in common between a swan and a pig? According to the artist, their images are equally beautiful. Moreover, several paintings are devoted to pigs.
- Charming animals, from the point of view of visual perception. I like their physiognomy with smiles. If you look at the model for portraits, then the face is pleasant.
-Do you see something conceptual in this?
- I rest when I write pigs. Something conceptual in them is seen by communist policies. In the State Duma, at my personal exhibition “Russian Stars” among the portraits of celebrities there was a picture with pigs. So people approached with a request to remove her from the exposition. I did not do this, especially since there was no official order.
When you write birds, animals and flowers, nerves calmed down and you get aesthetic pleasure from the contemplation of elegant lines. Not all portraits of people are elegant. Although many not very elegant characters want to be elegant on canvas. But look at the portraits of the Renaissance - how terrible characters are there! Moreover, the royal persons. I think: how did they perceive it all? No one demanded to embellish himself. And now, apparently, they are used to the fact that in Photoshop you can work miracles and want to apply it in painting. Sometimes you have to meet and improve. Although often because of this, not only the similarity disappears, but also a sense of life. But the client is satisfied. In such cases, I just give a portrait, and on the inserts I do not plan to exhibit it.
After several months spent in Germany, fish were added to the artist’s favorite naturals. The house where the Belkovsky lived was located on the shore of a picturesque pond with beautiful red-yellow carps. The picture is already ready. Pig, by the way, Belkovsky also painted from nature, in the suburbs.
- And where did you get the swans for nature?
- Is there enough swans in Moscow? He simply removed all the attributes of the zoo, and it turned out that birds in the natural environment. Now, after Crimea, I started working on a picture with pelicans. Nastya and I saw them in the dolphinarium. Real posors! They scatter their wings, proudly perform ... Such life plots are inspired, I immediately want to take a canvas and write.
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Friends and fans after the tragedy disappeared from the life of Nastya. Even television people - frequent guests in the Belkovsky house - do not seem to fully understand the situation. They often ask: “What's new? Are you all good? .. ”Well, how can everything be good for a person without legs? The young girl, all the more. Natasha is trying to find friends for her daughter on the Internet. Foreigners respond in social networks, like the girl in the photo. Nastya really looks cool: fit, pretty, slender, tone muscles, pumped up (Moscow champion in powerlifting - the bench press from the chest. - Aut.) Sports is with pleasure. Swims very well. The family recently returned from Crimea. The sea for the girl is a continuous positive! The waves are not afraid. Not afraid of anything at all. Once a hurricane began, everyone began to run away from the beach, hide, and Nastya fearlessly rushed towards the elements, exposing his face to the wind. Estim likes.
Nastya is also engaged in a circus studio. There they hang it at a two-meter height, promoted, and the athlete, in turn, twists a hula hup. There are plans for the head of the studio to make a unique number. But for this you need to make a lot of effort. Nastya tries, wants to become a circus star. But ... she wants to marry more. All talk about it. He even promises to smoke to quit as soon as the cherished dream comes true. In the meantime, the cigarette is her only friend who will listen to the confession, and “calm the nerves”. Prince, respond!