With a Touch of Irony and Gentle Tenderness: The Art of Dmitry Surinovitch

Born in a village with the tender name of Vishenka, Dmitry Surinovitch always speaks of his roots with warmth. Until the age of 15, he had no interest in drawing. His first artistic endeavors were simple sketches made with his father’s red-blue commander’s pencil, guided by a soldier from his father’s unit.

About Dmitry

Today, Dmitry Surinovitch is renowned as one of Minsk’s finest watercolor artists. His works are celebrated as the “high poetry of watercolor,” eagerly collected by enthusiasts worldwide. His art is a unique blend of color, sincerity, playfulness, kindness, and a captivating perception of the world, tinged with irony yet boundless in love.

Larisa Mikhnevich, an art critic and friend of Dmitry Surinovitch, shared insights into the artist’s work with our magazine. Due to certain circumstances, Dmitry Mikhailovich has not given interviews for several years, but he continues to create art with his left hand, the one that still draws.

Dima: A Multifaceted Artist

Dima is a man of many talents: an architect, restorer, animation artist, painter, and watercolorist. Above all, he is an exceptional human being. To me, he is a connoisseur, a rare combination of exquisite taste and a clear value system, with the ability to attract and nurture a creative environment. He is a magnet for interesting people and ideas, and he generously shares his world. He is unique, perhaps one of a kind.

Thanks to Dima, my life has been enriched with significant events and acquaintances. I eagerly anticipate the opening of his new exhibition, which promises to be unlike any other. Despite his numerous solo exhibitions, this one will be unprecedented in scale, occupying all the spaces of the National Center for Contemporary Arts. It will showcase all facets of Dmitry Surinovitch’s creativity, including animation, painting, and watercolors. His animation works feature original and delicate techniques, promising many discoveries for the viewers.

Animation: A Unique Perspective

In animation, the artist must embody a given plot, but how they do it is crucial. This determines how the audience receives the film. Consider Surinovitch’s work “The Legend of Lady Godiva.”

The 11th-century legend tells of a pious woman who rode naked through the city to free impoverished citizens from taxes, as per her husband’s whim. The delicate townspeople closed their windows to spare her modesty. This plot, distant from modern life, is fascinating to explore and understand. Surinovitch’s depiction of the white horse is almost sculptural, monumental, and proud, contrasting with the fragile, tender heroine. This contrast underscores the heroic narrative, showcasing Surinovitch’s exceptional ability to work with plots.

Women in Surinovitch’s Art

Surinovitch’s relationship with women can be described with the phrase, “Silly girl, I love you.” This sentiment is particularly evident in his watercolors. The women in his works are unusual, often in complex situations: a cat jumping through an open window onto a table, kittens or roosters nearby, or a woman taking a bath, playing the saxophone.

These women may not be conventionally presentable, but they are incredibly tender, alive, and real. Given the number of women in his works, it’s clear that women are the main subjects of Dmitry Surinovitch’s art. His portrayal of women is unique, bright, and warm, with a touch of irony and gentle tenderness.

French critic Pascal le Torelle described Dima as the “Gauguin from the land of the Eskimos,” a fitting characterization of his painting. His women are large, with “Gauguin-like” body lines, often too large for the frames. Their eyes are slightly elongated, like those of northern peoples, and empty, without pupils, looking inward, reminiscent of Modigliani’s style.

Surinovitch’s painting emerges at the intersection of the incompatible. It is dense, with meticulous, jewel-like canvas processing. Over time, his depiction of women evolves, focusing more on the situations around them rather than the women themselves. This exhibition will offer many such discoveries.

Watercolor: A Courageous Art

In European art, watercolor was long considered a secondary medium, part of the learning process. However, since the time of cubism and especially Turner, watercolor has risen in prominence. William Turner’s brilliant discoveries were based on his experiments with watercolor, which were essential to his magnificent paintings.

Art also exists as a commodity. Watercolor may seem less durable than oil, but painting is not eternal either. For instance, a Serov masterpiece in the Tretyakov Gallery crumbled despite ideal storage conditions. Modern computer techniques saved the painting, assembling it from “dust.” The value of art lies not in its technique but in its spirit.

Working with watercolor requires courage, as Dima often says. Mistakes cannot be corrected. Dima’s creativity is virtuoso, reflecting his deep understanding and mastery of the medium.