On April 20, 2006 in the White Hall of the International Art Fund in Moscow the opening of the Jubilee exhibition of Moscow painter and theorist of fine art Vitaly Stepanovich Grivkov was held. This exhibition for his 70th anniversary is not his first solo exhibition. However, it is impossible to say that the name of the artist was always on hearing. Communicating often in his life with known and authoritative names: G. Kostaki, Duet Melomidov, Gerlovins, Mimi. Tomb, Vl. Yakovlevyvyi and many others, fungi never set the goal of “protrusion” of his personality. Fortunately or unfortunately, but it is his character, it is a position. After the “Stroganoff” Vitaly taught, led the art studio, wrote a lot, including large-format works, wrote most often women (naked and not very, beautiful as dolls and not beautiful, but before the pain in the eyes of sexy). Not without reason one of his old acquaintances, now known in Moscow Oleg Kulik, in his book “Scotosalization” called him an erotic artist and said the following: “Fungi old avant-garde, he is a talented and lively clever artist, but when the first gebesnye began Searches, he was frightened and threw the avant-garde… “. It should be added that Oleg Kulik opened his first exhibition in Moscow thanks to the efforts and support of V.S. Grimkova on Remizova 10. These were weird and a little funny times. The exhibition was almost closed immediately with the police, only because the coffin made of glass was present in the exposition. “Mukhomory” to this hour consider Vitaly Stepanovich as his spiritual “causative agent” and honor him. And Konstantin Starchetov expressed to me once, with his paradoxical humour, that he considers Grikova his mentor in art. Despite the fact that he does not like Moscow “actual” art and conceptualism. In the young years, however, Vitaly possessed the traits of the leader, he had students-Sovitarichi in search of visual innovation. He led the activities of the creative Group “fiction” in the 1960s. Published the self-published magazine “Marks” in 75-77 years. Incidentally, the entire set of periodical magazine is located in the University Library in Bremen. The magazines came in the form of a message in a Super solid monograph, released in Germany, which was dedicated to the Russian underground “SAMIZADTU”. There were, however, other “merits” in unofficial culture. But it is more interesting to talk about Gribkove-artist. His main teacher in the field of painting, he considers the artist of the old formation of Boris Petrovich Chernyshov. It should be said that fungi is a Moscow painter, but with deep Lipetsk roots. He is a nephew of the famous in the 1930s the Lipetsk poet, writer and painter Alexey Lipetsk (A.V. Kamensky). In his youth, and in the mature years, was familiar and communicated with the Lipetsk artists V.S. Sorokin. v.d. Dvorchikov, Yu. D. Grishko. In the middle of the 70s, from the words of Grikov, he communicated with G. Kostaki. This communication has determined his creative choice. He realized that he did not want to be a modernist, especially in the most extreme manifestations of this concept; But he could not feel himself as a classic. Then his idea and belief in the “third direction of art” arose, but, in this sense, he did not reject his creative life. The specific manner in which fungi now works is, first of all, quite eclectic. I would even say, delatiously-eclectic all the countless “Avignon girls in Moscow”, female images with the dedication of Matisse № № 1, 2, 3, 4,….., images of Marilyn Monroe or Emmanuel Bear with the smack of Rosenqvist or Andy Warhol and with the subtext of Degas and Renoir, but all without the impurity of commercial conunturture, only by sympathy and the dictates of the heart. So I wanted and so was written “academician”.
Now Vitaly Stepanovich completes a large series of very erotic and, even, in a good way, a few frivolous portraits “nude” with the general name “actresses”. Here he decided to “undress at last” his favorite kinacris, and Vitali, as any real kinman, abound. That’s it! And no metaphysics…. But seriously, the correct fungi still implies the presence of this most metaphysical component in its post-modernist varreve. Sometimes he calls it implied. Even Gridkov has a special section of his creative work, which he appreciates, not all shows and names as well as that old self-published magazine “Marks”. There’s plenty of metaphysics here. In general, it is a way of image, grown from the favorite creative heritage of “group 13”, which fungi and relates to the third direction and which is not alien to the aesthetics of the European minimalism and especially French mirabelism. There is everything-air, space, vibration, even recognizability of the object, and there is nothing at the same time except a few uneven lines and small spots-dots called “marks”. But regardless of whether it is a littleleaf fungus or a foovist, or just erotic-he never and nobody allowed himself to change. He lived as he wanted. One day he told me about his microscopic pension that he was offended by sin. All his life he slept, when he wanted, drank vodka, drew what he desired (or considered necessary) paintings, was fond of women (the last noticed by me), and now offended. Let the offended those who worked in the face, on construction, on the regime enterprises, and now get a little more than he. After all, he drew, drew as he wanted!