CAPE MAY — If the French master painter, Edgar Degas, had a modern-day protégé, it could well be Russian artist Anna Razumovkaya. Both favor dancers as subjects. Both capture the artists’ joy and quiet reflection; and both bridge new and classic art styles.
Cape May’s patrons of the arts will have the chance to meet modern master Razumovskaya at Gallery D’May, 305 Washington Street Mall, Cape May, on Saturday, Aug. 20 at noon. The event is open to the public and is free. Gallery owners Dawn and John DeMayo will unveil the artist’s newest collection, including “Flirting with the Violin” and “Summertime,” at an exhibit currently on display now through Sept. 15.
Razumovskaya is considered one of the leading figurative artists in the world today. Her central figures are women in repose or in the act of creating their art. Drawn to fashion and music as a child, Razumovskaya often depicts dancers and musicians in her paintings. She recreates quiet moments, a ballerina tying her toe shoe or a cellist practicing for a performance. Her work swirls with color, movement and emotion. It also pinpoints a mood, a moment in time and a passion for life. “I believe we all have dance in us,” said Razumovskaya.
The DeMayos have represented the artist for seven years. “Anna’s work is unique within the art world,” said Dawn DeMayo. “Clients fall in love with her work because of the energy and emotion her paintings evoke. Collectors appreciate the beauty of the women she depicts, but also live vicariously through each brush stroke she applies to the canvas.”
Ramumovskaya’s style is deeply rooted in early influences and family history. An international gallery of favorite portraitists—American John Singer Sargent, German Peter Paul Rubens, Dutch Rembrandt and Russian Valentin Serov—gave the artist a broad cosmopolitan outlook. Impressionism emboldened her use of color, and Abstract Art simplified her backgrounds.
Razumovskaya grew up in Russia at the height of the Cold War. Despite austerity measures imposed by Communist rule, her parents instilled their love of art and culture in their daughter, who went on to study at the Russian State University for the Arts, and later train in Germany, Belgium and Holland. It seems the arts were in the artist’s bloodline. An ancestor, a highly accomplished singer widely recognized for his talent, was invited to the imperial palace in St. Petersburg, where he ultimately presided over the court and was rumored to have secretly wed the daughter of Peter the Great.
Ramumovskaya previously held solo shows in New York, Paris, Toronto, Amsterdam, Antwerp and Berlin. She also has numerous works in private collections around the world. “She is one of the most exciting and collectable artists on the contemporary scene,” a critic wrote recently.
The DeMayos have been art dealers in Cape May since 1987. In addition to Gallery D’May, they also own Victorian Walk Gallery in Cape May, and the newest gallery is D’May Home Gallery on the Washington Street Mall.
“We are thrilled to welcome back one of the most renowned artist of our time, Anna Razumovskaya, to Cape May’s art community,” said Dawn DeMayo.
For more information about the exhibit, please visit gallerydmay.com or call (609) 884-4465. Additional information is also available at Gallery D’May.