Alex Kuznetsov (b. 1978, Minsk, Belarus)

Originally from Minsk, Belarus, he was drawn to painting from a young age, influenced by his mother's family ties to Vitebsk, a city with a rich artistic history, particularly in the early 20th century when artists like Marc Chagall and Kazimir Malevich contributed to its vibrant art scene. After pursuing a career in graphic design, he discovered spray paint in 1997, which led him to explore the world of street art and graffiti. He adopted various nicknames, including Liquid, Ners, Awek, Temos, and Monk, and his graffiti crew, TRUE STILO, became renowned across post-Soviet territories and Europe.

In 2010, during a visit to a Hong Kong commercial gallery, Alex was struck by the potency of pure color when he saw a large, bright-red canvas. Later that same year, a significant event in his life inspired Alex to shift his artistic focus towards Abstract Expressionism.

Alex Kuznetsov has collaborated with renowned publications, brands, and private institutions, such as Vogue, AD Magazine, Absolut, Tumi, Adidas, Nike and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

His solo exhibitions have been held in National Center for Contemporary Arts of the Republic of Belarus, MSK Eastside Gallery Moscow, Triumph Gallery Moscow, Speerstra Gallery in Geneva and Paris, Montana Gallery Barcelona, and others. His work has been showcased and collected across the globe, including in Barcelona, San Francisco, London, Seoul, Hong Kong, Brussels, Geneva,Paris, Monaco, Moscow, Minsk, and New York.

Alex creative journey as an abstract artist has been fueled by a lifelong passion for art, inspired by his roots in the graffiti. He explores the transformative power of color through his works across different mediums, including paintings, works on paper, and prints. Kuznetsov's abstractions are characterized by bold swipes of color, which bring him to a meditative state where the process is as important as the outcome. He engages with the vibrations of color, amplifying their power with the fluidity and movement of his squeedges, fully immersing himself in the painting.

Kuznetsov's abstract paintings may suggest familiar urban imagery, such as outlines of futuristic objects, contours of shapes, and horizon lines with skyscrapers' spikes, but the material and medium gain independence in his work, becoming subject matter in its equal right. Departing from the works of Gerhard Richter, Barnett Newman, and Pierre Soulages, he has developed a unique body of work that strikes the viewer with its inner energy. Kuznetsov applies acrylics with giant aluminum rulers, consciously infusing each mechanical gesture and power of pressure with meaning. His process-led abstract painting practice employs a tempered gestural language, prioritizing fluidity and the process of erasure alongside the intuitive application of paint. Through his artworks, he explores states of presence and remembrance by examining the tension between control and eventuality.

For Alex Kuznetsov painting is a constant quest for perfection, reflecting his desire to organize the world according to an innate sense of harmony. He sublimates his visions into his artworks, bringing them to the canvas for the eventual viewer to decipher and identify with. As Sigmund Freud aptly described, "An artist is originally a man who turns out from reality because he cannot come to terms with the renunciation of instinctual satisfaction which it at first demands... He finds his way back to reality, however, from this world of phantasy by making use of special gifts to mold his phantasies into truths of a new kind, which men value as precious reflections of reality."

Through his artworks, Kuznetsov strives to mold his phantasies into truths of a new kind, connecting with the viewer on a profound and transformative level.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2023
Horizons @ Speerstra Gallery, Bursins, Switzerland

Ground Line @ Speerstra Gallery, Paris, France

2022

The Fear of the Fog @ Woldt Gallery, Hamburg, Germany

2021

Another Output @ Triumph Gallery, Moscow

2020
Horizons / Ground Line @ National Centre of Contemporary Art state museum, Minsk

2019
Horizons @ DK Gallery, Minsk

2018
Variations @ Speerstra Gallery, Bursins, Switzerland

2016
Shift @ MSK Eastside Gallery, Moscow

2015
Visual Attractions @ Speerstra Gallery, Bursins, Switzerland