Then & Now Gallery
Moscow changes, yet some places remain recognisable across decades — shop signs, transport, and the rhythm of the street all change, but the line of buildings, the silhouette of a square, or the bend of a boulevard remain as they were. The idea of showing Moscow then and now is not new, but there is something particularly valuable in what is presented here. Only the author can find and show that particular street, lane, house, or angle. Some places have changed so much that without his help it would be impossible to recognise them.
Each pair or series of paintings is a small study of a place’s memory. In some canvases one can trace almost documentary changes; in others — subtle shifts of mood: does the street become brighter, noisier, denser — or does it, on the contrary, lose its former intensity?
This section is of particular interest to those who love to look closely and notice how the city responds to historical change. Here, painting becomes a kind of “time machine, ” allowing one not only to see but to feel how Moscow was, and how it is now.
Try making a journey through time and tracing how the city changed from “then” to “now” — and then think about which places in the city that are your own could become the subjects of such a story.
