11.2 Artists in the Loft - Gennadiy Brijatyuk

Summer 2003 (11.2)
Pages 26-29

Artists in the Loft
Gennadiy Brijatyuk
by Gennadiy Brijatyuk

For more works by Gennadiy Brijatyuk - AZgallery.org
Contact Husein Huseinzade in Baku for his works: (994 50) 324-78-24 (mobile)

Click on photos to enlarge

All art shown here by Gennadiy Brijatyuk were photographed from Husein Huseinzade's Private Collection.

Gennadiy D. Brijatyuk (1935- ) was born in Ganja, one of Azerbaijan's oldest cities which dates back centuries ago. At the age of 15, he entered Baku's State Technical School of Art named after Azim Azimzade to devote his life to fine arts.

During the Soviet period, the art establishment insisted that paintings should reflect life as viewed from the perspective of Socialist Realism. Schools of thought such as Romanticism, Expressionism, Impressionism and other forms of abstract art were banned. But such restrictions ran counter to Gennadiy's heart. It wasn't long before his bright, creative individuality, his extraordinary natural talent, and insistence on seeing things from a different point of view set him on a collision course with Soviet authorities.

First, they tried to persuade him to change his style. Eventually, they gave up and began censuring his works. He was repeatedly dismissed from school and with great difficulty, he managed to graduate. Leaving behind the difficulties and contradictions of school with all its misunderstanding, he deliberated isolated himself. A few genuine friends, who recognized his extraordinary talent, stuck with him.

These unfortunate experiences totally affected the direction of his life as artists had little choice and had to rely on the State for assignments and projects. This left him isolated.

In reality, today Gennadiy lives in a world entirely of his own, cut off from most other people. His is a semi-hermetic existence, he lives in his studio, surrounded by a few of his art works and a few of the material things that he has accumulated in life. Some blame this isolation and asceticism on the difficulties he encountered during those young, impressionable years.

Unlike most other artists who disagreed with the oppressive system, Gennadiy did not yield, nor did he change his style. At the same time, he pursued his obsession for art and insisted on painting for himself, which mostly left him in abject poverty.

Gennadiy's works reflect his enormous passion for life and for the people who have played important roles in it for him-especially women, whose portraits he is so fond of painting and which he does so brilliantly. The subject of Madonna and child is one of his frequent themes. He also enjoys creating landscapes that reflecting his view of life and nature in Baku and the Absheron peninsula. But abstract painting is also part of his repertoire.

Gennadiy's works are marked by his experimentation with color, tone, texture and style. Sometimes he paints with brush; other times he uses his hands or other objects to apply the paint directly to the canvas. He is even known for applying layers of paint so thick so that he could sand them down and create a texture of extraordinarily smoothness.

For years, Gennadiy's works were rejected by society. Today, they are gaining acceptance. Many have found their way into private collections of art lovers both inside Azerbaijan and abroad. Photographer Husein Huseinzade, a fellow art student who has known Gennadiy for the past 50 years, has become one of his most ardent followers and had collected about 200 of his works. Close friends like Huseinzade are convinced that there will come a time when Gennadiy's works will be quite well-known and esteemed for their greatness and originality.

To connect with Gennadiy Brijatyuk, contact Husein Huseinzade at (994-12) 93-88-47 (office), 32-16-05 (home), or (850) 324-78-24 (mobile).

You'll find samples of Brijatyuk's works on the Web at AZgallery.org, where more than 3,000 works are featured by 160 Azerbaijani artists. Search "Brijatyuk" at AZgallery.org.