Fedor Konyukhov is a full member of the Russian Geographical Society and an academician of the Russian Academy of Arts (RAH). First of all, he is world famous for his expeditions - climbing Everest, solo round-the-world voyages, hot air ballooning. But Konyukhov is also a recognized artist, writer and teacher.
“The presented exposition combines the author’s paintings and graphics and is part of an art collection that spans three decades of travel around the world — from early works written in the 1970s and 80s to paintings created in the 2000s and 2020s. These are plot paintings and portraits, animalistic motifs and free landscape improvisations, large-scale, expressive, marked by the conventionality of the pictorial solution and sometimes gravitating towards pure abstraction,” the press service of the Russian Academy of Arts said on the website of the Russian Academy of Arts.
In particular, the years spent on a research expedition to Chukotka (in the early 70s) allowed Konyukhov to create hundreds of graphic works on the theme "Life and Life of the Peoples of the North". “The sketches made during numerous expeditions, as well as the results of visiting various countries, subsequently formed the basis of his paintings, graphic sheets, lithographs, etchings, in which the artist sought to create a harmonious image of the unity of man and nature,” the Russian Academy of Arts notes.
In the 80s, Fedor Konyukhov in his works depicts both the majestic seascape, and the struggle of courageous people with the elements, and the life of animals.
He has written more than 20 books with author's illustrations about his travels, is a regular participant in Russian and international exhibitions. Konyukhov created more than three thousand paintings, autolithographs, drawings, collages in various techniques.
Sometimes he uses the assemblage technique in his works, creating unique narrative installations. For example, for the work “Guardian Angel”, the fabric from the balloon on which he made a round-the-world trip in the summer of 2016 served as a canvas.
“After landing in Australia, the shell of the balloon was cut into pieces, and part of it became the basis for the author’s new work. This laid the special meaning of the painting, because thanks to this fabric, the artist stayed in the air at an altitude of 10 km for 11 days, flew around the world at a speed of 250 km/h,” the Academy said in a statement.