Russian Winter
Russian Winter (2012)
24×18½ Pastel on Pastel Paper
Original is Sold
The phrase "Russian winter" is historically synonymous with bitter cold, unyielding adversity, and prolonged hardship. Yet, human endurance has always found a way to survive the freeze.
When I heard about the escalating anti-gay legislation and the banning of Pride parades, I felt a deep frustration that I needed to channel into protest. For this piece, I used the historical metaphor of the bitter "Russian winter" to represent social hostility, contrasting a bleak, desaturated backdrop of Red Square with the vital warmth of two men in a defiant embrace. By dressing them in heavy winter gear but giving them flushed skin and vibrant pops of red, I wanted to show that passion and resilience can survive the coldest environments.
