The retention of Memory (2023) Painting by Kirill Basalaev

Kirill Basalaev is a contemporary Russian artist based in London. His artistic expressions span across abstract painting, sculpture, and video, with a particular focus on the theme of the human experience within the urban environment. Kirill's works depict the city as a dynamic, living structure, where splinters, cracks, and ruptures become testaments to its vitality. As an observer of these urban intricacies, Kirill not only immortalizes them on canvas but transforms them into integral components of his artistic process. Through his practice, he arrives at the concept that memory and place are inseparable elements.

In his initial works, Kirill Basalaev drew inspiration from existing locations, reproducing city walls on his canvases. Using materials such as cement and plaster, he captures and freezes the cracks and fissures observed, emphasizing the fragility, artificiality, and ephemeral nature of urban spaces. The artist's exploration evolves into a series of deliberately vibrant and colorful works. The combination of plaster and acrylic layers allows him to move beyond the materiality of the place and closer to its sensory experience. The theme of the city transforms into an exploration of trauma, embodied through splinters and cracks.

In 2021, during the lockdown imposed by the pandemic, Basalaev, working in isolation, is compelled to reconstruct images of places from memory. This experience prompts reflections on his own past encounters with the city, resulting in the series titled "Archeology of Disease."

Upon moving to the United Kingdom, Kirill Basalaev embarks on a series centered on the theme of memory, titled "The Retention of Memory." He adopts the principle of not choosing the specific outcome of destruction in the creation of his paintings. Similar to memories accumulating over time, he superimposes layers of plaster and cement on a mesh. When removed, these layers crumble, and he places the resulting fragments onto the canvas.

Kirill Basalaev's artistic journey unfolds as a nuanced exploration of urban landscapes, memory, and the transformative power of artistic mediums. His works encapsulate the essence of cities and experiences, capturing the dynamic interplay between fragility and vitality.

• Nationality: RUSSIA
• Date of birth : unknown date
• Artistic domains: Represented by a Gallery,
• Groups: Russian Contemporary Artists Artists presented by a gallery