Exhibition of works of artists from a group of eight Staircase Painting, graphics, sculpture, ceramics

This exhibition, though a little bit late, celebrates the 25th anniversary of the group Staircase, which was formed in the autumn of 1975. It was a period of acute confrontation of official art and recusant artists. And the creation of the group was an attempt to unite artists who were former members of LOSH but chose the way, different from Socrealism. Staircase united congenial masters of different kinds of art. These were painters anf graphics N,Koshelkov (1934-1995), V.Dolgopolov (1938-1999) and V.Mishin (b. 1939), 'just' a painter A.Zaslavsky (b. 1939), ceramist and graphic A.Gromov (b. 1941), graphic S.Bely (b. 1938), sculptors L.Dobashina (b. 1943) and L.Lanec (b. 1941). A group exhibition of the Staircase was prepared in 1981. But because of its contrast with official art, already prepared and mounted exhibition was forbidden and disbanded. The first big exhibition of the group was held only in 1988. Later there were exhibitions in Tallinn, Yugoslavia; its 20th anniversary, in 1995, the group celebrated with an exhibition in the Central Exhibition hall Manezh. In the group of eight there are no leaders and members of secondary importance; it's an ensemble where everyone has their own part, and where unity is reached with common attitude to work. The artists are united with desire to understand life phenomena in depth, to catch signs and streaks of constantly changing world. Showcased together, works of the eight demonstrate variety of artistic manners, wide range of genres and emotions; their works hold a kind of conversation, call up, and 'conduct debate'.