Meet Alex Vlasov | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alex Vlasov and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alex, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
One of my favorite quotes comes from Philip Guston, who once said, “Thank God for yellow ochre, cadmium red medium, and permanent green light.” There is so much love for painting in this quote. But lately, I fell in love with Susan Sontag and her beautiful essays. There are many different things to unpack, but one of the aspects I am coming back to constantly is how our experience of the world was shaped by the invention of photography. In one of her essays, she states, “Mallarme said that everything in the world exists in order to end in a book. Today, everything exists to end in a photograph.” We don’t value the real experience anymore. What we value is the experience of having an experience in a photograph. Our dependence on cameras and the circulation of images in our culture certainly got worse since Sontag’s essays were written. You don’t go anywhere without a camera in your pocket, you take snaps all the time, etc. It is mindblowing that the “real” experience exists only in a photograph nowadays. That makes me wonder how our experiences actually have value. And what I am talking about is the monetary value. In the end, it all comes down to that we are simply selling our time on social media. And what is interesting about it is that people, in most cases, sell their time for free.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
If there is one thing that sets me apart from others, it is the ability to take risks. My studio is a laboratory where I experiment a lot. I don’t have a particular style at this point. I make so many different things. Even though, in terms of the aesthetics of my work there are many consistent elements.

Going back to your first question about quotes, someone, and I don’t remember who said once, “It needs to be bad before it is good.” I never wanted to become a millionaire by selling my art. I am interested in exploring new ways of working and challenging the possibilities of art. That is why I do what I do. I am willing to take such a wager because I know eventually, it will pay off. The entire art historical canon is the proof. You go to your studio every day. You make your own work against all the possible trends that the art world dictates you. You stay unbeatable. And then, you end up in art history books.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Ha, it is funny. I am probably the worst person to ask this question to. Well, two things come to my mind. If someone was here to visit me, I would take them to my studio or the library. I am pretty boring in that sense. I wake up and go to my studio. Then, I come back home after midnight. And that’s what I do almost every day. But with that being said, I am so lucky to live my life this way. Because making art for me is to breathe, I’d die without it.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I cannot express how fortunate I am to be surrounded by unconditional love and continuous encouragement from my teachers, friends, other artists, and family. But, after giving a few interviews, what I found problematic is that some people get upset when you mention somebody else and not them. So, at some point, I just stopped mentioning particular names.

Well, my teachers, friends, other artists, and family. You know who you are. Thank you for what you did and are still doing for me. I want you to know you mean the world to me and I love you. I think about y’all every day.

Website: avlasov.com

Instagram: @alexey_esenin