Abstraction, balancing on the edge of revealed and concealed, can become colourful, spectacular and alluring adventure
Vlad Kulkov is one of the most vigorous representatives of Russian abstract expressionism. The artist does painting, graphics, sculpture, writes texts and films his experiments. In his work, Kulkov explores evolution of forms, studies art as an independent life of forms, considers if boundaries can be established between destruction and development in time. That is why he looks for them in spatially stable forms. Spiral forms that Kulkov depicts on the translucent surface of canvas or paper are lively, fast, irrational, and biomorphic. It looks as if they strive to expand beyond the artwork and splash out directly onto the viewer.
Vlad Kulkov's works have been exhibited at many global art fairs: Armory Show (New York); Art Basel Miami Beach (Miami), Art 42 Basel (Basel); Frieze Art Fair (London), Vienna International Art Fair (Vienna); ART 13, ART 14 London; VLADEY auctions (Moscow).
Kulkov is the only artist from Russia whose works are in the Hort Family Collection in New York and Los Angeles. His works are also included in collections of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, the State Russian Museum, the Tretyakov Gallery, the Pierre Brochet collection, the Vladimir Smirnov and Konstantin Sorokin collections.
In 2013, he was included in the list of 115 emerging contemporary artists from more than 40 countries according to the study by Phaidon Press, London, UK.
In 2016, he was in the Top-10 most notable and promising Russian artists list according to The Art Newspaper Russia.