Highlighting artists from Ukraine, the Baltic states, the Caucasus, and Central Asia working in the Soviet Union during the 1970s and 1980s.

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recent works by Ukrainian-born artist Elena Kalman that reflect on moments of disruption and what endures beyond them

Kalman’s paintings depict landscapes, roads, and imagined environments marked by instability, including falling trees, fractured structures, and distant explosions, alongside images of water, sky, and terrain that persist. Created in a time shaped by war and ongoing global uncertainty, these works place scenes of rupture in direct relation to the natural world.

The artist writes, “My work is shaped by the tension between catastrophe and continuity, between the moments when the world seems to fracture and the deeper forces that endure beyond every crisis.”

Kalman received her Master of Architecture degree from the Moscow Architecture Institute, the birthplace of Russian Constructivism, and her undergraduate degree in art from the Kyiv Art Institute. She immigrated to the United States in 1979 and founded the Stamford, Connecticut-based firm Elena Kalman Architects in 1988. Her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the United States. Ukraine Defiant: Paintings by Elena Kalman, a series sparked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, was presented at The Museum of Russian Art in 2023.

The Museum of Russian Art is proud to present a solo exhibition by Mark Mednikov. The selection of thirty works from the artist’s private studio introduces the creative scope of a talented Minnesota-based artist and architect. Ranging from early Soviet-era drawings to recent oil paintings and photographs of buildings he designed, the show features remarkable artworks where the precision of architectural approach blends with the freedom of fine art.    

The artist’s background combines a rigorous academic foundation in fine arts with decades of experience working as an architect in Minnesota. Mednikov received his art education at the prestigious Repin Art Institute in Leningrad (Department of Architecture). The Department’s curriculum emphasized both architectural design and the fine arts. This unique combination of training would influence his creative vision throughout his life. 

Immigrating to the US in 1979, Mednikov has built his life in the Twin Cities, balancing his deep roots in classical European art education with local community life. His talent for combining artistic skill with architectural precision earned him recognition within the profession and led to a long career with Pope Associates, where he was Director of Design. His architectural projects include the Cargill administrative building in Minnetonka, the Department of Revenue building in St. Paul, and the St. Paul Monastery in Maplewood, to name but a few.

In recent years, Mednikov has devoted himself fully to painting. While he has explored various artistic styles, his mature work reflects a deep appreciation for realism and traditional craftsmanship. His admiration for Old Masters such as Zurbarán and Memling has led him to seek to capture the beauty of everyday objects with remarkable precision.The Museum of Russian Art is deeply grateful to Mark Mednikov for sharing his wonderful artwork for this exhibition. We also thank Liza Shturman for facilitating the organization of this exhibition.

This exhibition of antiwar political cartoons includes recent works by renowned cartoonists from Ukraine and Russia created in response to the Russian aggression in Ukraine.