Though I wish he didn't call it "dreamism..."
March 1, 2009 8:50 PM   Subscribe

Vitaly S Alexius, a Siberian born artist living in Canada, creates some gorgeous digital and traditional art, mostly with a sci-fi or fantasy, vaguely post-apocalyptic theme. He is also a remarkable photographer.
posted by Caduceus (29 comments total) 8 users marked this as a favorite
 
What on earth is this?
posted by tellurian at 9:19 PM on March 1, 2009


Vitaly needs to crank down the saturation and contrast a few notches. Sorry, but to me these look like Thomas Kinkade for sf/fantasy/horror fans.
posted by Slithy_Tove at 9:28 PM on March 1, 2009 [7 favorites]


This guy needs to hit the oil paints. Oh and some anatomy study.
posted by meta87 at 9:32 PM on March 1, 2009


I like his photos.
posted by KokuRyu at 9:46 PM on March 1, 2009


These would look great airbrushed on the side of my van
posted by CynicalKnight at 9:52 PM on March 1, 2009 [4 favorites]


What's with these damn plugs. Please don't plug talentless hack student's work as a mature artist. I just hate clicking through this type of posts. Makes me feel conned and dirty all over. And he is NOT a "remarkable" photographer. Good God!!! Trapper Keeper drawings are not "gorgeous," although they can be called awesome or rockin.
posted by anyokerin at 10:08 PM on March 1, 2009 [3 favorites]


This stuff is pretty awful. I have yet to see anything good that was hosted on a Deviant Art page, so I guess I should have seen it coming before I went ahead and clicked.
posted by bradbane at 10:29 PM on March 1, 2009


Wow. Um, sorry. I won't bother next time.
posted by Caduceus at 10:30 PM on March 1, 2009


Some real critics in here. Bradbane your stuff is pretty awful, I looked through your flickr photos and I have yet to see anything good hosted on flickr, I guess I should have seen it coming before I went ahead and clicked. Anyokerin may we see your work please?
posted by BrnP84 at 11:43 PM on March 1, 2009


No you may not see any of my work. Because MeFi would be greatly enhanced by not having posts like these; which are mere plugs or adverts for no talent hacks who can't seem to draw for sh*t.
As for your adolescent mimicry post: Bradbane never asked to be commented upon or posted his work as a thread. Secondly, I understand if you object to people who criticize someone's work without giving any helpful advice or critique (which I am always guilty of - beg your pardon), but you seem to be "personally" insulted.
What. Does a person need to be a painter to critic a painting or a filmmaker to discern if a film is watchable? Does a person need to be a musician to appreciate a great piece of composition? Do you need to be a writer to be moved by a beautifully written prose? NO. And Vitaly's work by no means ridiculous is tasteless as all badly conceived scifi/fantasy art can be. But I guess in your conceited universe you better keep your mouth F*cking shut unless you wanna suck each other off while commenting how good and wonderful everyone's crap sh*t crudely ill-proportioned drawings are.

"Note: Help maintain a healthy, respectful discussion by focusing comments on the
issues, topics, and facts at hand—not at other members of the site."

You should read that before posting. BrnP84 may we not see your work please?
posted by anyokerin at 12:45 AM on March 2, 2009 [1 favorite]


I feel sorry for this kid. Yes, most of us will find his stuff immature and silly (or even "crap sh*t crudely ill-proportioned"), but it obviously makes him (and presumably his intended audience) happy, and he doesn't seem to be claiming anywhere that it's the "best of the web."

I sure as hell wouldn't want my Flickr stream posted to the blue. It would of course be picked apart and I would quite possibly be described as a "talentless hack." I'm fond of my photos (and even proud of a few), but I certainly wouldn't want them under this particular microscope.

That doesn't mean I can't agree that as FPP material this stuff is pretty awful (with the exception of the lovely clammy cow photograph).
posted by dickymilk at 12:55 AM on March 2, 2009 [1 favorite]


anyokerin, that's a pretty big shit you just took on someone's work, must of been at least 50 courics. So sorry that this post was not up to your standards, if you could please enlighten us on what is a remarkable post we would all greatly appreciate it. Caduceous obviously isn't enhancing Metafilter with his taste in "trapper keeper art", I call for an immediate ban.

As far as not focusing at other members of the site you sure did focus a lot about how the work was "unremarkable" and "not gorgeous." Seems like your entire comment was you pointing out that Caduceous's taste in art sucks, it also had a very respectful tone, I enjoyed all the cuss words. Maybe you should read that Note of yours before posting. On a side note, the minute Bradbane took a shit on someone's work (especially him being a photographer himself) was the minute he opened his own work up for criticism.
posted by BrnP84 at 2:03 AM on March 2, 2009 [1 favorite]


blah blah blah
posted by anyokerin at 2:12 AM on March 2, 2009


As far as not focusing at other members of the site you sure did focus a lot about how the work was "unremarkable" and "not gorgeous." Seems like your entire comment was you pointing out that Caduceous's taste in art sucks, it also had a very respectful tone, I enjoyed all the cuss words.

Surely you're not implying that criticism of a post is "focusing at other members of the site"?
posted by atrazine at 2:40 AM on March 2, 2009


While I can understand where you angry guys are coming from, there's no need to be quite so affronted. I'd say that the execution doesn't always quite match the imagination for me, but he will get better in time (already much improved judging by the 2006 dated stuff). I'm glad he's there doing it.

Thomas Kinkade however needs to grow some balls.
posted by 6am at 2:49 AM on March 2, 2009


The naked furry lady with the electrified hair on the frontpage says it all. Tacky and cringeworthy. Thogh that one made me giggle.

But anyokerin, what the hell? Yes it is stupid by BrnP84 to say only being an artist entitles you to criticise art (really the oldest and trite defence against any criticism there is), but that doesn't excuse such an outburst. Breathe and count to ten before you post next time.
posted by kolophon at 4:42 AM on March 2, 2009 [1 favorite]


*though*
posted by kolophon at 4:43 AM on March 2, 2009


Isn't this David Berman?
posted by orme at 4:57 AM on March 2, 2009


What on earth is this?
posted by tellurian



Haunted forest vagina.
posted by orme at 4:59 AM on March 2, 2009 [4 favorites]


Well, Caduceus, I actually enjoyed those images, so thanks for the post.
posted by dbiedny at 5:18 AM on March 2, 2009


Wow. Um, sorry. I won't bother next time.

Please don't do that, Caduceus. I didn't particularly like this guy's work either (though some of the photos were nice), but I didn't know that until I'd had a look at it, and I'd never have looked at it if it wasn't for your post. Criticism of the subject of a post should not be confused with criticism of the post itself (and anyokerin was way off base for criticizing you directly).

Some people have liked the art, and I'm sure there are others who enjoyed it but didn't bother commenting here.

Thanks for the post.
posted by Rock Steady at 5:28 AM on March 2, 2009


For the record I don't think that artists are the only ones allowed to criticize art, my point was Bradbane was being pretty harsh on this guys work. There's a difference between being a critic and being a dick, he was being a dick so I looked up his profile, saw he was a photographer, and called his work shit (even though it looked pretty decent).
posted by BrnP84 at 5:45 AM on March 2, 2009


Well, Caduceus, I actually enjoyed those images, so thanks for the post.

Ditto. I really liked both the photos and the illustrations, and thought the guy's back story itself was pretty interesting. Thanks for this, Caduceus.
posted by limeonaire at 5:56 AM on March 2, 2009


Haunted forest vagina.

Oh, thank christ it's not just me that thought that. I blame the vulva post.
posted by stet at 6:41 AM on March 2, 2009


Ok, I feel bad now for suggesting he customize my shag-lined luv-mobile.

Is Vitaly a more skillfull painter than myself? Absolutely. Is he more skillfull than a whole lot of people? Absolutely. Is his technical ability in fact awesome? Beyond a doubt.

But, it's tacky subject matter... just as the 1812 Overture is a tacky piece of classical music, the orchestral equivalent of a monster truck rally.

Being an Good Artist is more than mere technical skill, as Evelyn Glennie aptly demonstrated at TED a while ago. An idea should be expressed that captivates the intellect, or the soul, of not just guys in jean jackets who sell dope at arcades, but the general population... and that's much harder to do.

All that being said, I did enjoy the images for their post-apocalyptic subject matter. The guy's only 24 years old and his exposure to the cruel West is only recent. Perhaps in 20 years time we'll see some fantastic stuff on his canvas.
posted by CynicalKnight at 7:21 AM on March 2, 2009 [1 favorite]


Outsider art is no reason for thread shitting.
posted by KokuRyu at 7:43 AM on March 2, 2009


and called his work shit (even though it looked pretty decent).

Whoops. Kinda lost the moral high ground there, didn't you?
posted by ook at 7:56 AM on March 2, 2009


Dear artists. Don't do this.
posted by katillathehun at 10:09 AM on March 2, 2009 [2 favorites]


For the record I don't think that artists are the only ones allowed to criticize art, my point was Bradbane was being pretty harsh on this guys work. There's a difference between being a critic and being a dick, he was being a dick so I looked up his profile, saw he was a photographer, and called his work shit (even though it looked pretty decent).

I was being needlessly dickish, but what is there to really say about this guy's work? It looks immature and amateurish, there is nothing unique or even especially interesting about his subject matter, process, technique, concept, etc. DeviantArt is full of people with undeveloped bodies of work like this and I do not see why this particular guy is interesting or more relevant than anyone else doing adolescent and poorly executed sci-fi fantasy stuff. What's the context or significance other than you thought it looked cool?

I like outsider art so I'm not saying the only artists worth linking to have to have an MFA or whatever, but there is really nothing remarkable this guy and I'm curious why you chose him over any other number of talented artists who are doing relevant or interesting work worth discussing.

I have thick skin and could care less if you want to pick apart my work, but at least look at my actual portfolio instead of the Flickr account I just kind of dump things on to share with friends.
posted by bradbane at 11:11 AM on March 3, 2009


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