Based in Berlin, Russian artist Roman Manikhin embraces his vivid style, through his provocative narrative and graphical compositions. Educated in one of the oldest art schools in Moscow, Manikhin began his career illustrating books. Using fauvism’s method of representation, the artist combines methodological practices that appeared at the beginning of the twentieth century.
In his studio work, the artist intends to portray a lightheartedness and warmth in his work, expanding the mood of his viewership and transporting them from the mundane of everyday life. Manikhins work reflects a fantasy world the artist himself admits he would like to be forever. He creates illusions where objects from various realms intertwine to form a convincing, yet fictitious and evocative reality where anything is possible; mermaids communicate with dolphins, a Dalmatian drives in a pink convertible, and a girl smokes a hookah with a crocodile.
It’s his admiration for the beauty of women that is at the heart of Manikhin’s artistry. Curvature, vivacity, desire to create and covet all that is beautiful compels the artist to manifest his joyful portrayals. This is reflected in the technique of the artist, who thinks in block colour, two dimensions, layers, with emphasis on silhouettes and figures. There is something “unfinished” in the artists honed and precise oil work that leaves just enough to invite curiosity and question into the viewing experience.
Manikan’s work can be found displayed at the museum Zuzeum in Riga and in several private collections in Russia, Italy, Turkey, Denmark, Sweden and the US.
Education
2003-2008 Communication design of Stroganov Academy of Arts, Moscow, RU
Solo exhibitions
2021 “Waving the Waves”, GUM Red-line, Moscow, RU
2021 “Vacation Romance”, Lazy Mike, Moscow, RU
2020 “Playing Cards”, Kit gallery, Tokyo, JP
2019 “Playing Cards”, Faith gallery, Tokyo, JP
2019 “Playing Cards”, Cosmoscow fair, Cubed gallery, Moscow, RU
2019 “Summer is here”, Taganka gallery, Moscow, RU
2018 “Herring in a coat”, Grisk gallery, Аarhus, DK
2015 “Three-legged bearded woman throws a wedding bouquet”, Museum Art4.ru, Moscow,RU
Selected group exhibitions
2020 Cosmoscow fair, LazyMike gallery, Moscow, RU
2019 “May a lucky star shine upon you”, GUM-Red-Line gallery , Moscow, RU
2019 “Sculpture park” , Ria Keburia Foundation, Tbilisi, GE“Green kids Limpopo”, Here on
Taganka gallery, Moscow, RU
2018 “XMAS’18”, Christoffer Egelund gallery, Copenhagen, DK
2018 “Circus Circus Circus”, Museum of contemporary art Art4, Moscow, RU
2017 Miami Art Basel 2017, In Heroes We Trust gallery, LA, USA
“Ha-ha-ha Moscow”, Museum of contemporary art Art4.ru, Moscow, RU
2016 “Merry roundabout”, Here on Taganka gallery, Moscow, RU
“Rippling fingers of an elephant”, Here on Taganka gallery, Moscow, RU
2013 “YIA-2013”, Direktorenhaus gallery, Berlin, GE
2012 “Dacha village”, White place gallery, Moscow, RU
2006 “Space”, MMOMA in Ermolaevsky Lane, Moscow, RU
Projects
2019 Drawings for Ksenia Seray show A/W 2019-2020, Moscow Fashion week, RU
Normann x Brask Art Collection, Collaboration between art and design, Copenhagen,DK
2017 Mural curated by Jens-Peter Brask, Copenhagen, DK
Аarhus street art festival 2017, curated by Grisk gallery, Aarhus, DK
Residency program
2019 Ria Keburia Foundation, august, Kachreti, GE
2019 Pocke, october, Tokyo, JP
Selected bibliography
2019 “Normann Copenhagen’s abstract new range has an artful twist”, Wallpaper, March“The
Intersection Between Art and Design – Normann x Brask Art Collection”, Artland
2018 “Århus Street-art festuge 2017”. Grisk edition“Dead of pornoactor”, Dmitry Lobster,
Moscow
2016 “Roman Manikhin’s gloriously saucy burlesque series”, It’s Nice That, July
2016 “Three-legged Bearded Woman Throws a Wedding Bouquet”, Juxtapoz, July 2016“You
should often look at your shadow side. With a smile”, The Art Newspaper Russia, April
