Semyon Motolyanets (Brest, Belarus, 1982) is a young artist mainly working with installation, object and performance. Although his art pieces include graphics, paintings, video and even literary part.
Semyon was born and began his art education in Belarus, and then he graduated from St. Petersburg State Academy of Art and Industry, Department of Monumental-decorative painting and
the Contemporary Art program by St. Petersburg PRO ARTE Foundation. Thus
he is combining the academic background of the classic post-Soviet art education
with the newest points in contemporary art.
The St. Petersburg art scene is quite familiar with Semyon Motolyanets works.
He actively participate in group exhibitions since 2006, also as member of the
«PARZIT» association and one of the founders of the SOAP group, winners of
the «Innovation-2009» prize in the New Generation nomination.
The originality of Semyon Motolyanets art demonstrates his articulated artistic
point without established limits and formalities. Hardly anyone will dare to call his
works typical for contemporary art. There is no such popular among Saint-
Petersburg artist – graduates of the Stieglitz Academy monumental figurative
paintings. But most of his art pieces and performances are accompanied with
highly formulated author’s annotation.
Projects created by the SOAP group certainly deserve special mention, because
theyʼre unique for the St. Petersburg’s art by creation of the real philosophy of
artistic gestures. For many artists the strict adherence to the one topic becomes
a trap, but the SOAP group demonstrates the amazing talents of application and
integration of the ideas spectrum to the one reception.
Rapid growth and deepening of the author’s methods suggests that despite the
impressive track record, Semyon Motolyanets is still in the process of formation
of art style. His creative research goes on an upward spiral. However, the
observation of the growth of the gifted artist is a great pleasure for mass
audience and art professionals.
Solo Exhibitions 2015 2013 Selected group exhibitions: 2016 2015 2014 2012 2011 2010 2008 2007 2006 Collections of the State Russian Museum, PERMM Museum, Museum of Nonconformist Art
Motolyanets Semyon – Big Paintings Solve Big Problems – Marina Gisich Gallery, St. Petersburg
“Superficie aggiunta”, a cura di Evgenija Kikodze, Galleria Nina Due, Milano
2012
Rejection, Anna Nova Art Gallery, St. Petersburg (as participant of the SOAP group)
For the CV, Dver Gallery, St. Petersburg
State of Things, Art Communalka Museum, Kolomna (as participant of the SOAP
group)
Decubitus, Parazit Gallery, St. Petersburg
2011
10th Festival “Contemporary Art In Traditional Museum”
Museum Of Hygiene, St. Petersburg. Granted by PRO ARTE Foundation
(as participant of the SOAP group)
Stone, scissors, paper, Parazit Gallery, St. Petersburg
2008
Rehearsal of Living, Museum of Anna Akhmatova, St. Petersburg
“A good artist too”, Luda Gallery, St. Petersburg
“Art group SOAP: Looking at things. Взгляд на вещи”, Victoria Art Gallery, Samara
“Art group SOAP: Situation Of Art In Museum Permm”, Perm Museum of Contemporary Art, Perm
“Provenance”, Marina Gisich Gallery, St. Petersburg
“Art group SOAP: We Must Cultivate Our Garden”, Anna Nova Gallery, St. Petersburg
“Don’t even dream!”, Ruarts Gallery, Moscow
“In Translation”, National Center For Contemporary Art (NCCA), Saint-Petersburg Branch, St. Petersburg
“ARTiculation” Exercise – Special project of 3rd Moscow International Biennale for
Young Art, “Qui Vive!?”, White Hall, Contemporary Art Centre Winzavod, Moscow (as
participant of the SOAP group)
Oculus TWO. Exhibition for artist of Pro Arte foundation – Special project of 3rd
Moscow International Biennale for Young Art, “Qui Vive!?”, ArtRu Agency, Moscow
13th Graphica Creativa Triennale, Jyvaskyla, Finland (as participant of the SOAP group)
Stability, Erarta Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland
Nordic Art Today, Loft-project ETAGI, St. Petersburg (as participant of the SOAP
group)
OCULUS NOVENI. Exhibition for young artist of Pro Arte foundation, Svetoch Loft,
St. Petersburg
Videoforma – 2nd video art festival, Kuryokhin Art Center, St. Petersburg
Russian Povera, Milan (as participant of the SOAP group)
House Issue, Modernariat Gallery, St. Petersburg
Total Contemporary Night, Rizzordi Art Foundation, St. Petersburg
Inner Police, Borey Art Center, St. Petersburg
55/3 – The self-organized exhibition of young artists, ARTPLAY, Moscow
History of Russian Video Art. Volume 3, MMOMA at Ermolaevsky, Moscow
Life: Science version, White Hall, Contemporary Art Centre Winzavod, Moscow
Special programme of 1st Ural Industrial Biennale. Working week performance by the
SOAP group, Uralmash Factory, Yekaterinburg
VIII International Festival of Experimental Art, Central Exhibition Hall Manege, St.
Petersburg (as participant of the «PARAZIT» association)
Portrait Interpretation, State Hermitage, St. Petersburg
“Happiness – is the way from work to home” installation. Object in the Museum
project, ERARTA Contemporary Art Museum, St. Petersburg (as participant of the
SOAP group)
Hermitage Lomography, State Hermitage, St. Petersburg
Penetration, V Gallery, St. Petersburg
“«PARAZIT» in the world museums” project, State Tretyakov Gallery and State
Pushkin Museum, Moscow
Exhibition of Innovation-2009 prize, NCCA, Moscow – winner of «New generation»
nomination (as participant of the SOAP group)
China Pavilion, Borey Art Center, St. Petersburg
NEWSPEAK. Petersburg version, State Hermitage Youth Center, St. Petersburg
2009
HOME, SWEET HOME, NCCA, St. Petersburg
Severe Style, IFA, St. Petersburg
Gold For The People, Russian Pavilion Of The International Biennale «Dialogues»,
Small hall of St. Petersburg’s Manege (as participant of the SOAP group)
Recycling. State Hermitage Youth Center, St. Petersburg
Museum Project, LUDA Gallery, St. Petersburg (as participant of the SOAP group)
Elusive Russian literature. Soap remnants, 10х15 Gallery, St. Petersburg
«PARAZIT» at Russian Povera. Borey Art Center, St. Petersburg
IX x X. PARAZIT Gallery, St. Petersburg
Creative Territory, Museum Of Nonconformist Art, St. Petersburg
Russian Idea, Navicula Artis Gallery, St. Petersburg
New Names, Museum Of Nonconformist Art, St. Petersburg
Decisive Moment, Central Exhibition Hall Manege, St. Petersburg
(St. Petersburg), and private collections in Russia and Germany
