The works of the artist Viktor Sergeyevich Shlyundin (1947–2020) are closely tied to Kostroma. He was born in the village of Khmelevka, Makaryevsky district, Kostroma Oblast. In 1970 he graduated from the Art and Graphic Faculty of the Nekrasov Kostroma State Pedagogical Institute. One of his teachers was the artist Fyodor Yakovlevich Korablyov.

Upon graduating from the institute, Viktor Shlyundin worked for two years at the Kostroma Museum of Fine Arts. In 1973 he moved to Kineshma, where he began working at an art school, but tried not to lose contact with Kostroma. He started taking part in exhibitions in the mid-1980s.

The scope of interests and artistic leanings, passion for life in all of its forms are the defining features of Shlyundin’s work. The artist, as he himself said, “enters into a dialogue” with the surrounding world, nature, objects and, of course, with people. At the same time, the master painter was not interested in merely replicating life’s challenges and natural states. His imagination entered reality and transformed it in accordance with his plans. Familiar objects in his works were shown from unexpected sides and angles.

The artist infused his works with elements of festivities and fairy tales. Hence, it is no coincidence why he was called a wizard by both colleagues and viewers. Fantasy and reality, games and life coexist and poetically intertwine in Shlyundin’s art.

It is as if the artist saw the world through the eyes of a child, whose each moment is filled with a sense of discovery; unafraid to dream, ready to be surprised and experience joy. This childish simplicity was combined with the wisdom of a man who knew how to appreciate simple human pleasures and everyday occurrences.

In the graphic work “Holiday” by Viktor Shlyundin, the characters seem to live in another dimension. The work blends this childlike wonder with a philosophical perception of the world. The fabulous character of what is happening in the picture is conveyed through the somewhat exaggerated look of the people in the picture. They have unnaturally long necks and lyrically solemn faces. All this makes up the world of Viktor Shlyundin with its unique imagery. It is improvisational, enchanting, marked by the artist’s distinct style, special manner of painting and sense of color.