The theft of the Mona Lisa, 2021

Vladimir Kolosov   Emerging artists

Vladimir Kolosov is a Canadian painter born in 1962, renowned for his multidisciplinary approach and distinctive neo-surrealist style. Originally from the USSR, he emigrated to Canada in 2006 and currently resides in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. From a young age, Kolosov was immersed in visual arts and music, developing an artistic sensibility that is reflected in his works. His academic background is extensive, including studies in fine arts, music, mathematics, physics, psychology, and business management, giving him a unique perspective on his artistic practice.

His work is characterized by an exploration of inner and outer worlds, using a variety of mediums such as oil, acrylic, watercolor, and pastels . Kolosov is recognized as a skilled colorist, creating compositions where colors play a central role in expressing emotions, contradictions, and contrasts. His paintings, often imbued with symbolism and metaphors, invite the viewer to reflect deeply on themes such as memory, time, identity, and the human condition.

Notable works include "Melancholic Observations of the Echoes from the Past," "Landscape with Levitating Metaphysical Still Life and Its Shadows," and "Hidden Thoughts Are Leaking Out." These pieces illustrate his ability to merge figurative and abstract elements to create enigmatic and evocative scenes. His style is influenced by artistic movements such as surrealism, metaphysical art, and abstract expressionism.

Kolosov has exhibited his work in various countries, including Canada, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, and Switzerland. He has also participated in interdisciplinary projects, such as the VOYZX Exhibition of Contemporary Surrealism in Vancouver in 2019 and 2021, and the international project Colours of My Ice-Dreams in collaboration with Carpigiani Gelato University and the Gelato Museum in Italy.

In addition to his artistic practice, Kolosov is an active art critic and curator. He has published essays on contemporary surrealism in international journals such as VOYZX Art, Surrealismo International (Spain), and Agulha Revista de Cultura (Brazil). His most recent book, “Vladimir Kolosov Through the Looking Glass" (VOYZX Press, 2022), offers an in-depth retrospective of his work.

A member of the AICA/IAAC (International Association of Art Critics) and the Vancouver Queer Art Festival, Kolosov continues to influence the contemporary art scene with his introspective approach and commitment to exploring the complexities of human experience through art.