Connoisseurs of the beautiful follow the announcements of his exhibitions. The unusual style of the author, his irony and unpredictability made his work welcome guests at exhibitions and festivals in Russia and abroad.
The talent of this sculptor and artist is multifaceted. After the presentation of each of his new works, he himself admits that he is constantly looking for new forms and does not want to blindly copy the classic. The desire to keep abreast of social life, interest in modern trends in the world of fine art helps to determine our creative theme. And the master loves his hometown and compatriots very much.
Childhood
Valera was born in April 1949. The Mikheev family lived in the village of Seredichi in the Oryol region. The father of the newborn Fedor fought on the fronts of World War II. Returning to his homeland after the defeat of the Nazis, he met a schoolteacher Anna. To be close to her lover, the veteran also got a job at school. He taught history. Soon the wedding took place, and here the wife pleased her husband with the first-born.
The first of September (1980). Artist Alexander Krechetov
The boy could not wait for his student life to begin. His dad became the director of the school, his son wanted to spend more time with his parents. From the first class, the baby tried not to disgrace his relatives. He was an excellent student, a favorite of teachers. Mentors noted that this child succeeds not only with zeal, he has talents that need to be given a chance to reveal. After 7 classes, the teenager was sent to receive education in a school in the city of Bolkhov.
Youth
The graduate decided to continue the teaching dynasty. In 1966, he was able to enter the Orel State University at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics. Exact sciences did not fall into the sphere of interest of the young man, but diligence allowed avoiding problems with studies. However, doubts about the right choice did not stop tormenting Valery. In 1969, the student shocked the home with a statement that he was being transferred to the art and graphic department.
Oryol State University
Close people tried to make the guy’s decision, and in their native village everyone remembered what the old people said on the boy’s birthday. The joyful event coincided with the Christian holiday of the Annunciation. According to local beliefs, on this day newborns receive a special gift from God. Young Mikheev, this legend was known and flattered. Later, in his work, he will often turn to images from folk legends and tales, Christian subjects.
Artist
Valery received his diploma in 1973. He devoted his first works to the history of his native land. The master made his contribution to perpetuating the feat of the people during the years of World War II. The prototypes of the heroes were the people who surrounded our hero from childhood - father, his fellow soldiers, parents of classmates. The close and familiar features of the monuments made them popular in Orel and Belgorod. Mikheev often sculpted and painted portraits of his friends. Later, such sketches from nature will turn into a separate genre. In 1983, he became a member of the Union of Artists of Russia.
The memorial complex dedicated to the First Guards tankers, designed by Valery Mikheev
The second source of inspiration for the minister of muses was Russian literature. Valery Mikheev owns the famous monument to Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin on Komsomolskaya Street in Orel. The sculptor kept an eye on the self-portraits of the great writer and used them as a model for his creation. Today this monument is recognized as one of the best images of the genius of Russian literature.
Achievements and failures
The path to fame is always thorny. Our hero had to learn this from outsiders. His works were exhibited in Russia and abroad. Valery Mikheev is a welcome guest in galleries in Japan, Germany and the Netherlands, the master’s career is marked by a number of significant awards. In 2002, his works were awarded a diploma of the international exhibition "Art of Nations", which was held in Moscow. The list of achievements goes on for a long time.
Poster of the exhibition of works by Valery Mikheev and Nikolai Silaev
A painful failure for the sculptor was the criticism by the city council of Orel of the memorial plaque project to Ivan Turgenev. The author, in the opinion of local deputies, performed the image of his beloved writer unreliably and ugly. The second object, which deserved unflattering ratings from the audience, was a monument to the victims of radiation disasters. The people nicknamed this statue "Liver."
Monument to victims of radiation disasters, aka "Liver"
