Countryside

Countryside

This weaving carries a very personal story.

Many years ago, I decided to apply for membership in the Artists’ Organization of the Soviet Union — a step that meant a great deal at that time. I passed the first round successfully, and a week later the committee invited me to the second one. They asked me to bring more weavings.

I did have a few more pieces, but none felt good enough. I remember returning home in tears, feeling lost and uncertain. My father saw me and said with such determination:
“Don’t worry. You can do it! We’ll take care of your son, of meals, of everything. You’ll get the small room all to yourself — just weave, day and night.”

That sounded wonderful, except for one small problem: I had no time to draw a new cartoon or to dye the wool.

Then an idea came to me. I decided to ask the artist Anatoli Slepishev — whose work I admired deeply — if he would allow me to use one of his drawings as the basis for a weaving. He agreed immediately, and I chose one of his black and white sketches.

And this is the result you see here — a tapestry entirely in black and white, simple yet full of character.

When I brought it to the committee, they were surprised — it was something unusual for that time. But they loved it. I passed the second round with success and became a member of the Artists’ Organization.

That membership opened new doors: exhibitions, artist retreats, and the feeling of belonging to a creative community.
And this weaving, born out of stress, courage, and my father’s faith in me, remains one of the most meaningful pieces I have ever made.