Igor
Smirnov began his art career at the College
of Fine Art. Then he
obtained M.S. in Engineering & Design at the Naval Academy,
where his rich depth as an artist was enhanced by the knowledge of geometric
forms and proportions. Later he spent two years restoring priceless icons and
paintings at RUSSIAN
MUSEUM OF ART and MUSEUM OF URBAN SCULPTURE in St. Petersburg, Russia.
From early 1980’s he participated in the movement of non-conformist or
“underground” art in Russia.
The art works of Igor Smirnov were presented at the most popular “underground”
art shows in St.Petersburg, Moscow
and Germany
in 1982-1988.
Igor
Smirnov’s art works attracted the attention of John Whitehead, the US Deputy
Secretary of State, when he visited Moscow
in December of 1987 in preparation for the meeting between President Reagan and
Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Following Mr. Whitehead’s personal request to
Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Shevardnadze, the authorities of USSR let Igor
Smirnov to immigrate to United
States. The artist happily settled in California enjoying the
benefits and stimulation of the new environment.
Since
that time Igor Smirnov gained world wide recognition with his paintings
displayed in museums and galleries in the United States, Europe,
Asia and Russia. His art works are included
in collections of C.A.S.E. MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART in New Jersey and Paris, FUNDS
OF RUSSIAN CONTEMPORARY ART in Munich, ART BRILLANT CO. LTD. in Tokyo, MUSEUM
OF DOSTOEVSKY in St. Petersburg, Russia, CHEVRON INC. and MARINE LIFE CONSERVATION
SOCIETY in California, to name a few. Igor Smirnov’s exhibitions at ARTEXPO NEW YORK and ARTEXPO CALIFORNIA, expositions
with ART BRILLANT in Japan
and Europe, GALERIE MICHELANGELO in Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, SUNJIN GALLERY in Singapore, GALERIE
GEORGE INTERNATIONAL and TIMMONS GALLERY in California revealed the fascinating works of
this gifted artist.
The
monograph “BETWEEN THE MOMENT AND ETERNITY: ARTWORK OF IGOR SMIRNOV” written by
art critics Irina Alievsky, M.S. and Reena Judens, Ph.D. was published in the
beginning of 2006. This monograph is admitted by METROPOLITAN MUSEUM,
HAMMER MUSEUM, GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM,
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
MUSEUM, SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF
ART and CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM SAN DIEGO.
