Moscow's Spring by Katya Bratslavsky
Moscow’s Central House of Artists (CHA), known for its exquisite selection of world’s best artists and often compared to the Metropolitan and Guggenheim Museums in New York City, will host an exhibition of the talented American artist Katya Bratslavsky.
Katya was born and grew up in Russia, where she started her artistic studies at a very young age at the Central Architectural School in Moscow. Even in childhood, Katya’s fascination with art and her sense of color were quite pronounced. She noticed then that many colors were "mismatched" with the objects depicted in many paintings.
Years ago, while showing her work to a famous American artist, Katya received the same advice that she had heard before from many others and that can easily intimidate any beginner: do not pursue a formal education in art. Most artists, looking at her art felt bewildered yet delighted, but the professionals could not explain how seemingly simple objects in her paintings were capable of generating such a rich mixture of emotions. They were also puzzled by how she chose the colors. Many commented on her “grammatically incorrect” combinations of colors while many still culminated in breathtaking florals, sunsets, or nature scenes.
As an artist, Katya always felt that her way of seeing the world in color was strange. She often noticed that different colors reflected her mood, and every name and even sounds had certain shades of color as well. The long-standing puzzle was solved when she was talking to an art professor and sharing her vision of the world. Katya tried to explain the reasons behind her selection of various color combinations. That professor suggested to Katya that she may have a condition called "synesthesia".
Synesthesia is a rare condition. With synestheia, several unrelated senses are cross-wired somewhere in the brain. Psychologists believe that one in 100,000 people are diagnosed with synesthesia. The most popular form is in the association of color with numbers and letters -- an individual clearly sees numbers or letters in certain colors. Yet, in a few, synesthesia may influence their creative work. For example, some famous people who are known to have had synesthesia include the artists Kandinsky and Van Gogh, composers Duke Ellington and Rimsky-Korsikov, and writer Nabokov.
After additional research, Katya for the first time understood that she was a synesthesist. Possibly, this explains why her surprising color combinations and style move so many people.
At the age of 17 Katya and her family immigrated to the United States where she resides now with her husband and kids. She spends every free minute painting; she cannot imagine a day without color, brushes and canvases. While having completed a Masters Degree in Educational Psychology and Statistics from a US graduate school, Katya now paints on a full-time basis and exhibits her work at various US galleries. Many of her art pieces are in private collections throughout the US and the world.
Her upcoming show "Moscow's Spring" will take place at the Central House of Artists in Moscow from April 9 to April 17, 2016. Opening night is on April 9 at 6 PM, where you may personally meet the artist. For more information please visit www.cha.ru or www.KatyaBratslavsky.com.