Gregory Strachov, Artist
There is a period in Strachov's life that few know much about. There are some writings that were found to document this period. We know that this period followed the death of his father and continued for several years after his beloved grandmother 'Maria' had died. The paintings reveal compelling emotion on the part of this artist. We refer to this period as "Strachov's Dark period" because little is known other than what is evident in some of his writings and in the haunting images that he produced. The paintings that are shown here are directly related to the deaths of his father and his grandmother. One painting, "The Holocaust" is based on a story that his grandmother shared with him.
During 1986, Strachov was preparing for his one man show at the Butler Institute of American Art. He often listened to the second part of Beethoven's seventh symphony while preparing for his first major one man show, which took place December 27, 1987 through January 24th, 1988. A note from that period reveals his emergence from that dark period.
He refers to the anticipation of that first show as "Silent Distant Thunder".
In the sounds between the
pauses
When the cello's
cease to speak
Beethoven's seventh states
its calling
To the
visions my mind seeks.
To the grays I felt in
winter
That my brushes
now recall
To the silent
distant thunder
That I
listened to with awe.
Gregory Strachov ©
November
There's a silent crypt-like
silence
When my spirit
can't find sleep.
The
tobacco fills the ash tray
As I hear the clock's heart
beat.
On the walls
are hanging paintings
The
vignettes of thoughts that
passed.
Like the visions
in my memory
Of the lives
that did not last.
I
stopped counting all those
paintings
Do not know to
whom they sold.
Can't
remember how I painted
That old man to look so old.
Like Orion in November
When the Northern hills are
black
With the bite of
cold remembered
That my
winter winds are back.
Gregory Strachov ©