The entire world has faced tremendous upheaval in the past four years. I think I speak for nearly everyone when I say that we are all quite exhausted at having the ‘honor’ to live in this ‘exciting’ and highly chaotic turning point in history. I’ve literally heard many adult friends say how they wish that they could travel back in time, to the era of their childhood when they had no worries and cares. 

I recently reconnected with an artist who has brilliantly captured this zeitgeist that’s so prevalent across the globe today. I first met Yuri Ulyashev literally on the eve of our tumultuous era of  – in early March 2020, just four days before New York declared a state of emergency and locked down. Then, during the pandemic we lost contact.

During these years of pandemic and now war, all of us have undergone tremendous changes personally, psychologically and professionally. For me, it’s quite exciting to see the changes experienced by Yuri, who in the past four years has dramatically grown and matured as an artist, simultaneously expanding his artistic vision and depth, as well as discovering new creative horizons and insights. 

“I’m looking for a new direction in art that’s based on the Russian cultural code of the 19th and early 20th century, and to reinterpret this for the modern audience, giving it new meaning and significance,” said Yuri in an interview.

His latest art project, “Rodom iz detstvo”, which roughly translates into English as “Originating in Childhood”, is Yuri’s new set of 10 abstract art works that will make their world debut in his hometown of Moscow on March 14, 2025.  

“Abstraction in the outline of childhood” is how Yuri personally describes his new series of works. “Despite all the circumstances that each of us encounters as adults, the system of values and our world view are formed in childhood.”

“We are most sincere when we are under 13 years old – as a child we interact with the world sincerely,” Yuri adds. “My art seeks to return us to that time when we were children – open, sincere and honest. The series is based on a departure from academic canons and traditions to experiments with familiar images of pop culture in a new unusual format, where characters from world-famous cartoons suddenly and wittily appear among simple geometric shapes.”

Named by his parents in honor of Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, Mr Ulyashev also seeks to be a trailblazer in his own right – he believes that an artist is a person who looks at reality from a different angle, and he does so within the framework of a transformative vision to convey to people important ideas that surround us in everyday life. Through his artistic vision and use of color, he is able to skillfully elicit the philosophical essence of an object, as well as give it new meaning and significance. 

The “Rodom iz detstvo” series is heavily influenced by the Suprematism of Malevich and the Avant-gardist Kandinsky. Yuri appreciates how the great abstract painter distinguishes something important from a series of ordinary things, and is able to demonstrate the energy that he puts into his works by using a combination of colors. 

Yet, he’s also inspired by the Russian icon and how it found a new interpretation in the art of Malevich, whose “Black Square” (1915) was a protest against established fine art. “Black Square”, which Malevich originally placed in the red corner in place of an Orthodox icon, figures prominently in Yuri’s art. 

Of the ten works in the “Rodom iz detstvo” series, here are four that particularly struck me both visually and philosophically.

1. “Discovering a New Self” (2023); 1 m x 1 m, Oil on canvas.

In this first work in the series, Yuriy tackles the ubiquitous ‘black square’ of our digital world, which was commonplace during the Covid pandemic when everyone was on Zoom. Many people chose not to show themselves, and turned off the video function – all that was visible was the ‘black square’. In this sense, Malevich was a prophet, but Yuriy subverts Malevich’s original intention by adding in a woodpecker, a homage to the mischievous popular children’s hero. 

“I mock people who turn on their ‘black square’ during a video call. I prefer that people put on the camera. We can be ourselves, even self-ironic. Put your camera on and let’s see how involved you are in the work that we are doing,” says Yuri. 

2. “I Will Carry the Suitcase, and You Will Carry Me”; 1 m x 1 m, Oil on canvas.

This work is inspired by one of the most beloved Soviet cartoons – one with global success, and which evokes warmth and nostalgia. Cheburashka. A recent film with this hero shattered records. The forms of Malevich make it possible to draw any hero. This cartoon is known for the popular Russian birthday song, which in this painting is inscribed in the background – in Russian, Japanese and English. 

3. “Web of Time”; 1 m x 1 m, Oil on canvas.

Challenge, move forward, and don’t be afraid of anything. Dare to dream! This is the ethos of Spider man and this artwork. Despite the apparent complexity of the world we live in, Yuri shows us all of its abundance, transparency and possibilities. Spiderman is a symbol of the city, fighting crime, and all around percolates the forms of Malevich and Kandinsky. One, two, three Jump! Don’t be afraid.

4. “Fly, Dream!”; 1 m x 1 m, Oil on canvas.

Superman is the world’s most popular film and cartoon character – he is a global cult figure. And here, once again, he’s in a world inspired by the Russian avant garde. He speeds fast into the future and cuts the moon, making a powerful statement that the impossible is possible! This painting has speed and drive. Influenced by Malevich and Kandinsky – all this looks modern and comprehensible.