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March 8, 2002
Music that makes canvas sing
Artist Zinovy Shersher's dedication to sound permeates his visual
art.
PAT JOHNSON REPORTER
Music is the strongest influence on Zinovy Shersher. That is, when
he's not painting. The Russian-born, Los Angeles-based artist-musician
has a solo exhibit on at the Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery and
many of the paintings feature musical themes.
"Music is our soul," he said, standing amid his vibrant,
cheerful paintings.
The mixing of Shersher's creative media has created a unique offering,
in which the strains of celebratory klezmer almost come off the
canvas.
In "Minuet II," the passion of the musician for his stringed
instrument is accentuated by the presence of ethereal faces, presumably
members of the audience, with their eyes closed, almost ecstatic
at the notes of the violin. Evoking the singularity of the man and
the instrument, Shersher has given the musician a red hair color
that matches the wood of the violin.
Though the ecstatic faces in "Minuet II" are clearly members
of the audience, similar faces in another painting, "Musician,"
seem less tangible. In this oil on canvas, the faces could be conjured
in the mind of the intent musician, perhaps his own muses, maybe
the memory of past influences on his music or maybe the incarnation
of his music, given life from the liveliness of his playing.
In "Freilakhs," Shersher continues the musical celebration,
with men and boys in an energetic horah, again with vibrant colors
and faces filled with joy, as the title suggests.
One of the most striking pieces is "Before the concert,"
which is essentially a portrait of a violin, laying in wait for
its moment to shine. It rests on a bed of scrolled sheet music.
Though not all the artist's works are music-related, they are almost
exclusively Jewish-themed. "Chanukah" depicts the lighting
of the menorah. "Succot" shows a family settling in for
a meal in the sukkah. "Shabbat dinner" is a masterpiece
of colorful pastels on a black background. Against the darkness
of the night, the family is warmed and lighted by the Shabbat candles.
"I want people to hear the music in my paintings," said
Shersher in an artist's statement. The oil paintings and pastel
depictions feature many sharp lines and stark, cubist-like angles.
Though this could create a cold visual imagery, the content and
color make the paintings warm and welcoming.
Shersher left the Soviet Union in 1980 and moved originally to New
York City, where he studied at the School of Visual Arts.
Shersher was commissioned by a Los Angeles-area community to create
a massive, 2,000-square-foot mural titled "We have a future,"
which was created over six months of volunteer painting, for which
he received accolades from the city of Los Angeles.
The exhibit continues at the Zack Gallery, in the Jewish Community
Centre of Greater Vancouver, until March 13.
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