Satka Street Art Fest goes on. Recently, several groups of artists – Sergey Akramov, Daniil Danet and Maxim Revansh from Ekaterinburg, Alexey Batis and Timur Abdulaev (Brazil) from Chelyabinsk, and Satka’s young and professional artists – were working in the Hangar at the same time. Together, they created the entire gallery on the portable canvases that will soon move to the square in front of Magnezit Cultural Center. 

Graffiti artists called their work in the Hangar to be a large art party scene and a street art laboratory. Both definitions are very accurate. Here, a very special atmosphere outspreads. Huge gates of the Hangar are opened all the day long, the music plays, it smells paint, and the plywood structures that were white recently gradually turn into the pictures, collages and integral stories. And here, a film is shot again! The team of "Ostrov" studio prepares a new project to celebrate the 120th anniversary of Magnezit. It will be a documentary film, whose shooting started during the street art festival not just by coincidence – it became a part of the company that supports it, a part of the history and culture of the town.

Own Melody

All artists drastically vary in the way the reveal the theme of the festival – the Ural Symphony. Every work has its specific features and sound. And peculiarity of the festival also consists in Satka citizens – the kids that study in art schools and plan to devote their life to art and creativity – working side by side with graffiti artists. Other participants include of the Bright Satka project include both successful artists – teachers Vera Moshkina (Rozum’s Art School No. 1), Valentina Abrosimova (school No. 11), Lybov Korosteleva (school No. 40) and Valery Ulanov, interior designer of Stroitel Cultural Center.

Participants of Satka Dreamville – the kids that are in love with the street art tirelessly watch what is going on. Besides, they found time to paint all barrels for their liking in the impromptu garden in the Hangar area.

And in the evening, young artists attended the master class, by results of which a new objet d'art appeared in the Hangar area. Timur Abdulaev (Brazil), together with his students, turned a huge barrel into a bright 3D aquarium. In the course of transforming the item, participants of the art lesson learnt nuances of creating graffiti: when and what for they should change spray heads of the spray paint, how to use different techniques to apply different paint layers, to create 3D effect, depth, play of light and shadow and so on. The final result really impresses.

But all of us will get even more impressions in the open-air exhibition that will run in the square in front of Magnezit Cultural Center and will present the Ural Symphony in all art and music images, colors, shades and emotions. The exhibition will start just in a few days.

Photorealism and Music of the Mountains

- I love female beauty and beauty of the Ural Mountains, – Timur Abdulaev comments on his photo realistic work. - How is it connected with the theme of the festival? Music sounds, when you are listening to nature, to the birds singing in the mountains. By the way, even M-5 Highway, which means a lot for me, because I often drive along this road going to Moscow and Ufa past Satka, has its unique sound. These mountains, evenings, the mere atmosphere of the road are also a kind of melody for me. While driving, I always turn on the music, enjoy the trips, sceneries, think of some moments of my life. And as a man I love women, that’s why there’s a woman’s portrait on the background of all I’ve told about and shown.

- And what would you say of the atmosphere you feel here, in the Hangar?

- It’s cool! It evolved in the giant street art laboratory that gathered top-notch artists!  

- Do you watch work of your colleagues and our kids?

— Of course! I know all the artists, and they know me, but our world outlook and creativity differ very much. Mine is more classical for common people, and theirs – for art lovers. I also got acquainted with Satka’s artists and teachers. Craftspeople are closer to me. The stencil style one of the teachers (Lybov Korosteleva – editor) adheres to is very close to me. I immediately saw myself – I often get orders for stencil style works, through we fulfill absolutely different orders: 3D effects, photorealism, facades, signboards, decorating offices, – Timur lists showing his portfolio. Besides, it also include the works that Satka citizens must have seen and remember –  huge frescos in the house façade in Magnitogorsk, where the explosion occurred during the New Year holidays, and Rodnik Trading Center in Chelyabinsk. His works can be found in Satka as well: Timur took part in the Street Power festival in 2016 and was drawing in the stadium of school No. 5.

"It’s not a boom! We need more such festivals!”

Alexey Batis, an author of a very bright purple 3D abstraction, prefers absolutely different style of work.

- Everyone interprets an abstraction differently, – Alexey thinks. – This work is inspired by music and the festival theme. I pay much attention to the color palette, and haven’t used this one since long ago; I wonder what the result will be. All artists use mostly standard colors. And here, in addition to unique forms the color solution is also unusual – all of this taken together creates a unique picture.

- How do children react to your work?

– They are watching, but the abstraction is much more difficult for them to understand as compared to other works.

- But still they see how such complicated works emerge…

– You can draw anything, but I don’t see creativity in it. And the abstract forms are the basis, from which you can create a face, or an animal, any recognizable objects, and at the same time I will stick to my own style. Here you don’t have any borders, you enjoy more freedom. I’d like to create more complicated works, to combine, to experiment. And you have a wish and opportunity to develop in this area, there is a lot you can invent. It all depends on whether you like it or not. But is this complicated to draw what you want irrespective of whether the audience will understand you. From this point of view, if we compare our cities I’d say that Satka, where diverse artists have come and still come, is more culturally developed than Chelyabinsk.

- Do may cities go through the graffiti boom today?

– It’s not a boom! It’s just that marketing has reached graffiti, and financial story plays an important role. And here we face the misconception: this is actually art painting, and not graffiti. This is my personal opinion. Many people, especially employees of the administration offices, want to decorate something free of charge: if you draw it for free, then draw something for us. And an artist, especially a young one, will agree to spend his time, to give a part of himself, while someone else will get money for the work he has done.

- And how do you see an ideal approach?

– Ideally, a successful artists draw what he wants, what he can, and gets a reasonable remuneration for that, because they appreciate his labor here, or he is given out materials, but no requirements are put forward to what he is doing. If Chelyabinsk provided at least the smallest part of what your festival does, that would be development. But unfortunately, this is not the case – we have only commercial projects, when you have an order, or you have to take into account the opinion of the audience. But how can people judge about graffiti, if they are not immersed in this activities, how can they select sketches, assess works? You may not understand the artist’s creativity, but if you understand that this is his unique style based on the years of hard work and creative searching, it is already what you can respect him for. And it can also be vice versa: you respect an artist as a person, but you do not appreciate what he does. Then speak out, but only use arguments for your position. Even if a painting has some portion of aggression – it’s OK, just don’t create it in the crowded place. And today everyone is after simple, pop pictures. But there is no development in this. As a result, go round in circles to get recognition of the people, who don’t understand anything about your creativity…

- It’s summer now – is it the best season for creativity and development, for example, in such sites as Satka Street Art Fest?

- We need more such events, with such organization and understanding people like you have in your festival! There is a rare opportunity to implement some creative ideas. When I sent my sketches to the fest organizers, it was only 20% ready, then I improved it for a long time. The sketch was accepted. Everything is adequate and loyal. The materials were provided, the paints were (of course, I brought everything from home, because I am very scrupulous about this matter). Here you can find understanding of the most important point: for an artist, commercial success is quite a different endeavor from making it in terms of creativity.

Painting is communication. This is very important. If it works out, the kids and I will draw – together it’s more interesting, it returns more emotions, drive – you draw, contact people, have rest.  Today we have a sightseeing program, and then it would be great to go somewhere to draw...

Source: Magnezitovets. 

Photo by Anna Pilippova, Fund "Sobranie". 

Video by Denis Shakirov.