Heads

Mediums: oil, cardboard.
Location: The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg (Russia).

From the artist’s paintings, even earlier ones like this, it’s hard to choose a non-hypnotic one. The question about the mental health of the author has a clear answer – realistic portraits, canvases with labor exploits, created throughout the career “for oneself” or for the sake of daily bread, show that Filonov clearly and even rationally used his art. The head motive is the most common in his artistic heritage; one of his late paintings, “Udarniki”, also consists of separate faces. The work most likely depicting an apocalypse (there is a rider) or an equally significant event is a study of the emotions of people of different social status, age and even race in the face of something impending.