Adam Polonkoev is a son of the famous artist Murat Polonkoev. With his younger brother Zelimkhan, he studied at the State Academic Institute of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture named after I. E. Repin. The years of studying at the Academy greatly influenced his creative method. Even the artist’s quickly created works en plein air were distinguished by a deep study of the composition and color combinations.
This is evident, for instance, in the painting ‘Plein Air in the Mountains’: the ancient architectural complex is perfectly fitted to the format of the canvas, its vertical towers add a dynamic rhythm to the soft lines of the landscape.
Plein air is the act of painting outdoors: such canvases convey a lively perception of nature and the peculiarities of light in a particular season and time of day. Adam Polonkoev loved this artistic method and often traveled to the mountains of Ingushetia.
On this canvas, the master captured Pyaling — the largest tower complex on the offshoots of the main mountain range of Mount Tsorei-loam. Presently, visitors can see four combat towers and more than ten residential and semi-combat buildings here.
The artist chose warm summer months to create this artwork: the end of June — the beginning of July. It is not an active blooming time in the region, so he based the color scheme mainly on blue shades and different combinations of green: from soft olive to bright emerald.
The master painted the canvas in one session, preserving all the lightness from the first impression. He worked in a generalized manner, with distinguishable liberal brush strokes. In some parts of the painting, one can even see white primer.
In the mountainous areas of Ingushetia, the towers and rocks easily change their color palette, as the sun quickly hides behind the peaks. Therefore, artists here have to paint quickly, often on smaller canvases.
It is difficult to say whether Adam Polonkoev deliberately left the gaps with the primer showing through to emphasize the vividness of the painting, or whether he intended to refine some of the details but did not have time. The artist passed away in August 2013 at the age of 38. But his canvases to this day retain his sincere love for his native land.
This is evident, for instance, in the painting ‘Plein Air in the Mountains’: the ancient architectural complex is perfectly fitted to the format of the canvas, its vertical towers add a dynamic rhythm to the soft lines of the landscape.
Plein air is the act of painting outdoors: such canvases convey a lively perception of nature and the peculiarities of light in a particular season and time of day. Adam Polonkoev loved this artistic method and often traveled to the mountains of Ingushetia.
On this canvas, the master captured Pyaling — the largest tower complex on the offshoots of the main mountain range of Mount Tsorei-loam. Presently, visitors can see four combat towers and more than ten residential and semi-combat buildings here.
The artist chose warm summer months to create this artwork: the end of June — the beginning of July. It is not an active blooming time in the region, so he based the color scheme mainly on blue shades and different combinations of green: from soft olive to bright emerald.
The master painted the canvas in one session, preserving all the lightness from the first impression. He worked in a generalized manner, with distinguishable liberal brush strokes. In some parts of the painting, one can even see white primer.
In the mountainous areas of Ingushetia, the towers and rocks easily change their color palette, as the sun quickly hides behind the peaks. Therefore, artists here have to paint quickly, often on smaller canvases.
It is difficult to say whether Adam Polonkoev deliberately left the gaps with the primer showing through to emphasize the vividness of the painting, or whether he intended to refine some of the details but did not have time. The artist passed away in August 2013 at the age of 38. But his canvases to this day retain his sincere love for his native land.
