Drawings: Russia 2003

St. Peterburg, Russia, Summer 2003

Impressions 1 through 5 (only four are pictured) began as a visual way to document for my own edification the images, symbols, and cultural artifacts of St. Petersburg. All were completed during my stay. Each of the drawings contains a multitude of representations composed intuitively, as in the “automatic” writing – in this case, drawing - practice of the early 20^th century Surrealists, the intention of which was to allow ideas and feelings to flow spontaneously onto the paper during the drawing process. In this way, observations and, most importantly, associative imagery could be marked down without excessive reasoning or interpretation; furthermore, the use of permanent ink markers made revising or altering all but impossible. As a visitor to and willing participant in another culture, I felt that recording impressions in this way was more respectful since I could not possibly know or understand the weight and complexity of any given historical figure, design motif, or aesthetic philosophy.

Contemporary Russian culture is more rich and varied than I could have possibly imagined. Through these drawings I wish to convey my great respect and continued fascination with the history, the geography, the climate, the art and architecture as well as the traditions and customs of Russia.