The painter Viktor Vasilievich Kharin was born into a family of gold miners in 1945, in the settlement of Koksa, on the upper reaches of the River Teba. He now lives in the settlement of Teba, which is located in the Mezhdurechensk urban district of Kemerovo region. He has a great interest in the history of his region — Koksa, and the gold mines in the Kuznetsk region and Altai territory. In his own house he has established a regional museum, where he is happy to welcome visitors.
A major theme in his art is the tragic events in Russia’s history - including those which he refers to in his paintings In the Gold Mines, and Into the Forest, to the Labor Camp.
The scenes which the artist shows in his paintings depicting everyday work during the “labor camp era” were inspired by his research in the archives of the region’s museums.
He painted wonderful lyrical landscapes, as well as village scenes. In his paintings the artist lovingly depicts the beauty of his region. No-one who appreciates figurative art or the Siberian landscape is left unaffected by his paintings.
Viktor Kharin’s painting Before the Winter depicts a snow-covered landscape in Mountain Shoria. In the center of the canvas we see a winding brook, which has not yet frozen over. In Mountain Shoria the ground is
generally covered with snow from the beginning of November until the end of April. In the foreground there is a stony river bank, with a fallen tree. The painting’s rather magical appearance is largely due to the mountains that we see in the background, covered with the first show. Their slopes reflect the bright rays of the sun. In the distance we see green, red and orange-leaved trees - they have not yet lost their autumn foliage. The sky is largely covered with dark and heavy clouds, but there are also some patches of blue sky. It is November, and winter has not yet taken over, although its approach can already be felt. The painting is full of air, light and space. The artist has perfectly captured the mood of nature in that time that is popularly known as pre-winter.
For centuries the Shorians, or Kuznetsk Tatars, have lived in Mountain Shoria - the land that the artist depicts in his work. These indigenous people had their own explanation for the arrival of winter. They believed that in winter the good spirits leave the earth, and a difficult time begins for people. At that time of year dark and evil forces hold sway over the land, entering into people’s homes, and bringing them unhappiness and doing them harm. This continues until the good spirits return, in the spring.
Viktor Kharin has perfectly captured the striking and mysterious beauty of his region.
A major theme in his art is the tragic events in Russia’s history - including those which he refers to in his paintings In the Gold Mines, and Into the Forest, to the Labor Camp.
The scenes which the artist shows in his paintings depicting everyday work during the “labor camp era” were inspired by his research in the archives of the region’s museums.
He painted wonderful lyrical landscapes, as well as village scenes. In his paintings the artist lovingly depicts the beauty of his region. No-one who appreciates figurative art or the Siberian landscape is left unaffected by his paintings.
Viktor Kharin’s painting Before the Winter depicts a snow-covered landscape in Mountain Shoria. In the center of the canvas we see a winding brook, which has not yet frozen over. In Mountain Shoria the ground is
generally covered with snow from the beginning of November until the end of April. In the foreground there is a stony river bank, with a fallen tree. The painting’s rather magical appearance is largely due to the mountains that we see in the background, covered with the first show. Their slopes reflect the bright rays of the sun. In the distance we see green, red and orange-leaved trees - they have not yet lost their autumn foliage. The sky is largely covered with dark and heavy clouds, but there are also some patches of blue sky. It is November, and winter has not yet taken over, although its approach can already be felt. The painting is full of air, light and space. The artist has perfectly captured the mood of nature in that time that is popularly known as pre-winter.
For centuries the Shorians, or Kuznetsk Tatars, have lived in Mountain Shoria - the land that the artist depicts in his work. These indigenous people had their own explanation for the arrival of winter. They believed that in winter the good spirits leave the earth, and a difficult time begins for people. At that time of year dark and evil forces hold sway over the land, entering into people’s homes, and bringing them unhappiness and doing them harm. This continues until the good spirits return, in the spring.
Viktor Kharin has perfectly captured the striking and mysterious beauty of his region.
