The exhibition presents more than 70 paintings created by the artist from the late 1960s to the present day, as well as 12 original graphic sheets from the 1980s. They reflect Matsvei Basau’s key topics to reflect on, to ask questions and to look for answers: tales from the Bible, Belarusian small towns, the Holocaust, love, as well as still-life and landscape, which all provide endless space for the artist’s creative experiments.
The artist’s style is instantly recognisable. He refers to his creative method as “flickering painting”. From 1981 to the present, Matsvei Basau has taken part in more than 150 republican, all-Union and international-level exhibitions. He has also created and presented more than 50 personal projects in Belarus and abroad. This is Matsvei Basau’s third personal project in our museum (previous – 2010, 2015).
Matsvei Basau
Born on 14 June 1950 in Minsk (BSSR) into the family of talented artist Israel Basau (1918–1994). His paternal uncle was the famous Soviet book illustrator, graphic artist and painter, theatre designer Beniamin (Veniamin) Basau (1913–2001).
From 1956 to 1963, he attended the renowned children’s art studio in the Minsk Palace of Pioneers and Schoolchildren (now National Centre for Art of Children and Youth), where he was taught by Siargei Katkou (1911–1976), legendary artist, veteran of the Great Patriotic War, Honoured Teacher of the BSSR.
In 1964, he was awarded a bronze medal at the International Contest of Children’s Drawings in Italy.
From 1963 to 1967, he studied at the Children’s Art School No.1 in Minsk (now Vital Tsvirka Children’s School of Arts No.1 in Minsk).
From 1967 to 1971, he studied at the Minsk Art College (now Aliaksei Glebau Minsk State Art College) under brilliant teacher and talented artist Algerd Malisheuski (1921–1989), Honoured Worker of Arts of the BSSR.
Member of the Belarusian Union of Artists since 1988.
From 1981 to the present, he has exhibited his works in more than 150 republican, all-Union and international-level art shows in Belarus and abroad.
Member of the “Artel” art group (Minsk), the International Organisation of Artists and Photographers “Art of Inspiration” (New York), “Guild of Artists” (New York).
From 1993 to the present, he has created and presented more than 50 personal projects in Belarus, Canada, Russia and the USA.
Matsvei Basau’s works are in the collections of the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus, Belarusian Union of Artists, National Centre for Contemporary Arts, National Historical Museum of the Republic of Belarus, Zimmerli Art Museum in New Brunswick (USA), Jewish Museum in New York (USA), Museum of Russian Art in Jersey City (USA), art galleries and private collections in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Germany, the Netherlands, Israel, Spain, the USA (Richard Rothschild’s and George Lieberman’s collections), etc.
Exhibition curator: Natallia Sialitskaya, leading researcher at the Department of Belarusian Art of the 20th–21st century; co-curator: Aliaksandra Chechat, junior researcher at the Department of Belarusian Art of the 20th–21st century
