One of the fine artists and other product and service exhibitors at the next Couture Fashion Week event in New York City will be award-winning surrealist artist Michael Cheval. Mr. Cheval's paintings will be on display at the prestigious event September 16-18, 2011 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.
A native of the small town of Kotelnikovo in southern Russia, Michael Cheval grew up among paints and brushes, canvases and easels. His grandfather, a professional artist and sculptor, encouraged Michael’s love for drawing in his early childhood. At age 3, he could already draw complex multi-figured compositions, illustrating his fantasies and impressions.
In 1980, Mr. Cheval and his family moved to Germany. The new setting made a great impression on the young artist. Museums and castles, ancient streets and the wonderful landscapes of southern Germany permanently defined his tastes and predilections. Always interested in history and literature, Mr. Cheval became absorbed in music, organizing a band and devoting a number of years to rock ‘n’ roll. He composed songs and wrote poetry.
After finishing school and serving in the Soviet Army, Mr. Cheval moved to Nebit-Dag, a Turkmenistan city in the middle of the Kara-Kum desert, near the Iranian border. He absorbed Oriental philosophy and the character of Central Asia, and worked as an independent professional artist, shaping his style and surrealistic direction. He collaborated with several theaters and publishing houses in Nebit-Dag and Ashgabad and earned a degree from the Ashgabad School of Fine Art. Mr. Cheval's first solo exhibition was held at Turkmenistan’s National Museum of Fine Art in 1990. A few years later he moved to Moscow where he worked for a number of publishers including the prestigious Planeta publishing house.
Michael Cheval's decision to immigrate to the USA in 1997 marked the start of a new epoch for the artist. He returned to the Western culture that greatly inspired him in his youth, but now he brought his own experience, philosophy and vision. In 1998, he became a member of the esteemed New York National Arts Club, where in 2000 he was recognized with the Exhibition Committee Award at the annual club exhibition.
Mr. Cheval regularly exhibits in various New York and European galleries. He is a member of the Society for Art of Imagination (London, UK) participating in the Association's annual exhibitions.
Since 2001, Mr. Cheval's work has been shown at Art Expo, the international trade show held annually at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York. In 2003 Mr. Cheval participated in the famous “Brave Destiny” exhibition, held in the Williamsburg Art and Historical Center in Brooklyn along with such celebrated artists as H. R. Giger and Ernst Fuchs. In 2006 his work was included in the “Feast of Imagination” exposition at the H.R. Giger Museum Gallery, Switzerland. In 2008 he was accepted as a participant in the "Dreamscape 2009" exhibition in Amsterdam and his work was included in the books Dreamscape and Dreamscape 2010 along with 50 world-famous surrealist artists.
In 2009 Michael Cheval's work was selected to be included in the Best Of Worldwide Artists, Volume I book series (Kennedy Publishing, USA), and in the same year he was recognized with the Palm Art Award by the Palm Art Award Jury and Art Domain Gallery (Leipzig). In 2010 Mr. Cheval's art was published in the Danish book Imaginaire and he participated in “April’s Fool”, an exhibition organized by Fantasmus Art.
Michael Cheval recently completed the official portrait commissioned by world-renowned actress and artist Gina Lollobrigida.
Mr. Cheval's first monograph album Lullabies was published in collaboration with Interart Gallery in 2003. In 2007 he published his second album, Nature of Absurdity, that defines his unique style and vision. Absurdity is a starting point of his creations. He identifies his art with the Theater of the Absurd of Beckett and Ionesco, and the films of Greenaway and Bunuel.
Visit the artist's website for more information: http://www.chevalfineart.com/
