On the painting of Sergej Andreevski
“Yes, I love the joy of life”2F
Sergej Andreevski
#11 “Yes, I love the joy of life” says it all. It is evident in Sergej Andreevski’s paintings. He is a true Expressionist. In his art he feels an inner impulse, an urge, an instinct… a need to fight against the painting… attacking and defending, giving and taking… passion, hedonism, humanism!
When I say that Sergej is an Expressionist, I do not mean just his paintings. Although this writing was inspired by his 20 year retrospective, I refer to the past, present and the future as well. While I cannot predict what Sergej will paint in the future, I believe the essence of his work will remain true and constant. Over the years his paintings have changed from cycle to cycle. This is a natural transformation. He is constantly searching, researching, feeling, and reacting to his environment. By responding to his travels and experiences, his work is constantly maturing.
#12 In 20 years Sergej’s passion, joy and euphoria for painting has not softened, nor is it likely to diminish.
To talk about the influences on Sergej’s painting requires additional explanation.
Sergej Andreevski is not an irrational painter. His work cannot be confused with the automatism of the Surrealists, “Cobra”, or the like. He is a painter who reacts to outer stimuli whether they be a particular situation, a drive, or a memory, such as the grayness of a city or the sand on the shore… this becomes topic, his painting, his Art.
#13 Color plays a crucial role in Sergej’s paintings. As much as he is an expressionist, he is much more a colorist. Regardless of how he applies paint to his canvases either with a brush, directly from the tube, or with his hands; the color remains strong and pure, formal and symbolic, dramatic and euphoric, talkative and singable! His use of color reminds one of the rebellious fauves… he too is rebelling against prejudices and established patterns of behavior embodied in middle class standards and rules.
In twenty years Sergej’s paintings have gone through many changes. All these transformations can be defined within three time periods: from his graduation from the Academy to the exhibition at the Art Gallery in Skopje in 1989, the time between that exhibition and the exhibition at the Museum of the City of Skopje in 1998, and from that time to the present.
#b
2. Jasna Frangovska, Sergej Andreevski: Patot na potegot, Art Point – Gumno, Skopje, July 2006, p.47.