The world of a child and a world of an adult… they are two separate States, living by their own laws or even like two planets, revolving around different stars. We have almost forgotten that in the country of childhood the usual things for us are unlike to our perception. Next to us there is the other world – bright, mysterious, terrible and free world of a child.
Childhood never really disappears; it hides away in a secluded nook of our soul. And the moment you smell the aroma of a newly-baked granny’s pie or listen to the tender sounds of the lullaby that mum sang for the night or maybe hear the words of a frolic lilt, these remembered feelings warm you inside.
The St. Petersburg artist Sergey Volkov together with his close friend and composer Vyacheslav Gaivoronsky were two men who head the miracle bell sound of their own past memories, appearing from the mysterious cloud of childhood. They created a charming album as a present for their children. The musician and artist opened a window for us to this wonderful lost world.
The Children’s Album, a 35 page book of paintings paired with piano tunes are presented as souvenirs of a young child’s life. Sergey and Vyacheslav created the series of graphic works and a cycle of light musical pieces completely separate, without showing to each other the results of their work till the very end, when everything was finished. They didn’t know whether they would become two friends or two enemies or merely two indifferent layers of colors and sounds. However there was a perfect match of painting and sound. “First Opus”, “Mother”, “In a Museum”, “Cartoons”, “Kitten Poosh”… exist in the child’s fantasies filled with metaphorical objects. The method of slight deformation of usual things, gives them a breath of a special children’s imagination.
The art dances before children’s eyes and into their ears as they experience “The Children’s Album”. “Each piece is like a complete and perfect jewel in the necklace of the musical cycle. While the artist chose the nessary colours on palette, the composer built up rhythm of lines. Children’s Album by Volkov and Gaivoronsky shows us a wonderful union of two eternal arts”.
After the dreadful early death of Sergey Volkov, when this talented, creative artist was killed, his widow Galina single handedly picked up the pieces and published this great album. Now, through her continued efforts and the services of an American associated company, each of these compelling and poignant paintings are being extended to the public in the form of Giclee prints. They set out at that times when the whole universe could be in one play-ground, in a butterfly or in a star, flower or snowflake, when all seemed mysterious and full of special meaning. If you are interested in Sergey Volkov’s works of art ph. 336 4565
The album of musician and compose Vyacheslav Gaivoronsky and artist Sergey Volkov was intended to be a diptych combining a cycle of small light pieces for piano and series of graphic works.
The authors decided to improvise on the topic about childhood (as well as about fatherhood) at the beginning of the 90s. Having agreed on working separately and not to influence each other with ideas by no means, they went to their classes and as schoolboys set to write their “compositions on the preset topic”. Then they met, looked at what each of them had made, put the two halves of the heart-amulet together and were glad to see how well they matched
“Children’s Album” is for everybody for both young and old. It is possible to bring life to the pictures, should you only touch the keys. This is almost a family photo album, turning pages of it one can understand how mature he or she has
become, or can imagine how much of unknown is awaiting ahead
Sergey Volkov did not happen to see the album, he died tragically in 1994.
All the work at the issuing “Children’s Album” was undertaken by Galina Volkova.