Nikolay Cherednichenko was born on December 15th, 1958, in Nahodka (Far East). He graduated from an electromechanical technology college and served in the military for two years. Afterwards, he worked in various roles such as a loader, constructor, radio operator, sound director in a theater, woodman, and eventually became an entrepreneur. Since 1989, he has been captivated by wooden sculpting.
Oil painting entered Nikolay's life when he was 32 years old, and he suddenly felt an "art fever." One early morning on Orthodox Christmas, he completed his first work, painted with honey watercolor on a piece of plywood.
Not long after, Nikolay and his wife Natalia were walking through a vernissage when Natalia noticed a painting with lilacs. Nikolay promised to buy the artwork on their way back, but it had already been sold. It was at that moment that Nikolay made a resolution: "I will paint so many of these lilacs, you will go mad!"
From that point on, Cherednichenko never parted with canvas, oil paints, and a spatula. His creative drive was so strong that he had to leave his profitable business and spend entire days and nights standing in front of the easel. Often, his work was so engrossing that Nikolay could go without food for two days, sustaining himself only with coffee and a pipe. This became his way of life for many years.
During the early years of his career, Nikolay Cherednichenko delved into the study of "human body bioenergy," as he referred to it. His supernatural journeys and experiences, such as "visions," "abstractions," and "fantastic worlds," laid the foundation for his work to this day.
In his initial period, Cherednichenko focused more on narrative and "romantic" paintings, capturing moments of his life with his wife. However, he found abstraction to be truly captivating. Narratives gave way to impressions, impressions gave way to forms and colors. During this time, the artist drew inspiration from his artistic "teachers" such as Leonardo da Vinci, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Felix Vallotton, and Salvador Dali, as well as from Christian theologians like Dionysius the Areopagite, Thomas Aquinas, and Augustine.
The turning point in Nikolay's art came with his exhibitions in Australia (1995) and Switzerland (1997). While visiting Aboriginal art museums in Perth, Sydney, and Melbourne, Cherednichenko was astounded by the powerful and exquisite use of colors. He also had the opportunity to witness the works of Picasso, Matisse, and Vallotton at the national museum in Basel. These journeys had a profound impact on him, leading him further into conceptualism, with echoes of his "aboriginal experiences" becoming apparent.
The artist admits that he rarely creates a preconceived idea for a painting; everything unfolds in the moment of creation. Abstraction grants him the freedom to experiment, improvise, and search for meanings both during the process and after its completion, often leaving him in awe of what he has created.
In the late 1990s, there was significant collector interest in Cherednichenko's expressionist paintings of cities, landscapes, and flowers, while his conceptual works remained somewhat overlooked. Nonetheless, Cherednichenko continued to explore and search for new artistic directions.
The early 2000s marked a period of confirmation with the Orthodox Church for the artist. He immersed himself in the study of the Bible and the works of the Holy Fathers, which greatly influenced his paintings, infused with Christian metaphors, symbols, and thoughts on evangelical events. Cherednichenko continued to work in a conceptual direction, all while maintaining a focus on his fantastic visions of cities and flowers. Throughout this period, his art reflected powerful vital dynamics, characterized by contrasting colors, sharp spontaneous strokes, and often contradictory combinations of hues. Cherednichenko sought harmony within chaos and irrationality.
In 2010, the artist and his wife relocated to the countryside in the Yaroslavl region, 180 km from Moscow.
Cherednichenko built his own workshop and became fully absorbed in his work, visiting Moscow only for necessary business meetings.
During this time, the artist began exploring space forms, introducing geometric, strict, and linear works. Nikolay referred to this period as his "square-cluster period." Despite his exploration of new forms, he still created landscapes and flowers, often revisiting traditional genres and subjects, rethinking them and searching for the unnoticed.
The year 2020 proved to be one of the most contradictory in the artist's life. It was a year of overcoming challenges and embarking on new quests and possibilities. Cherednichenko contracted COVID-19 in the spring and underwent quarantine for nearly two months until early June. During this time, he interpreted global events and the turbulence of our lives. He keenly felt the world plunging into routine and anxiety simultaneously.
Additionally, in 2020, Cherednichenko's middle daughter, Evgeniya Negrebetskaya, became his art manager. With her involvement, the artist reconnected with active social life. Since September 2020, the artist and his daughter have organized four solo exhibitions and participated in one art market.
His latest works are dedicated to the most precious gift each of us possesses—our life.
Since 2022 Nikolay Cherednichenko's is utilizing construction materials like foam, thermal insulation, and wood, embodies a fusion of resourcefulness, sustainability, and innovation. Drawing from the ethos of Arte Povera—an art movement valuing everyday materials—Cherednichenko elevates these commonplace substances into vehicles of creative expression.
In the footsteps of Arte Povera artists like Michelangelo Pistoletto and Giovanni Anselmo, Cherednichenko embraces the aesthetic potential of humble materials. Pistoletto's use of unconventional substances and Anselmo's exploration of natural elements resonate with Cherednichenko's approach, reflecting a shared artistic ethos.
Moreover, Cherednichenko's sustainable practices align with the broader contemporary movement emphasizing eco-consciousness in art. Artists like Olafur Eliasson and his focus on sustainability and environmental impact echo Cherednichenko's concern for ecological responsibility.
By repurposing construction materials, Cherednichenko challenges artistic norms, following the avant-garde spirit of Marcel Duchamp's readymades. Duchamp's revolutionary idea that anything can be art with the artist's intent finds echoes in Cherednichenko's approach, where discarded construction materials become a canvas for artistic innovation.
