Conception

"Conception" was one of the first paintings produced by Victor during his initial visit to Maui in July 2003, and was the first done in a new palette of colors inspired by the tropical colors of Maui. The images in Conception evolved from Victor's experiences during his first visit to Hana, a rural rainforest area of Maui.

Upon arriving in Hana, Victor went down to the beach, jumped into the ocean, and opened his eyes under water. "Conception" is his representation of the combination of the visual imagery and colors he saw while looking up through the water, with all of the many thoughts and feelings going through his mind, being in this place so different from his usual surroundings in Russia.

The symbolism of this painting is open to interpretation on many levels. The basic theme is the beginning of life, both the start of a human life, and also the inception of life on earth. The lushness of the jungle and the beauty of the ocean evoke feelings and memories of the power of the life force.

The floating spheres are composed of small, simple houses, such as those found in the Russian country villages even today. We see the people from the spheres getting down and entering the jungle, and are reminded of the paradoxes of our modern lives, where we are able to travel rapidly between cultures that are so vastly different.

The ladybugs are Russian symbols of good luck.