The 20th century has clearly demonstrated the inconsistency of the criteria and norms previously used to assess art. Art has been broadened to encompass works produced by not only professionals with an art education, but also those who have bypassed this system (or had minimal contact with it). There are numerous variations between the two extremes: art that is a part of the cultural tradition (l’art culturel) and art that is a free creative act independent of this tradition (l’art brut).

An illustration of this can be found in the art of Igor Novikov. Born in 1960, his professional interests were largely focused on the field of jurisprudence, in which he achieved a great deal of success. These jobs carried a heavy weight of responsibility, the tense work first of an investigator, then of a lawyer in the largest legal firm in the world, and finally of a dedicated, expert consultant – all of this was an intrinsic part of Novikov’s life as a lawyer. He turned to the systematic practice of drawing and painting in 2014 and, since then, has been less and less involved in legal work of this can be used art Igor Novikov. He was born in 1960. As a main area of professional interest, the choice fell to jurisprudence, in which he has achieved great success. The responsible positions, the hard work of an investigator, then a lawyer of the world’s largest law firm, an expert requiring complete self-commitment – all this was an integral part of the life of Novikov as  a lawyer.

In 2014, he turned to the systematic practice of drawing and painting and since then has been less and less involved in legal work. Igor did not receive a special artistic education, but from an early age he showed a love of drawing. He easily created sketches,  drawings for the newspaper and posters. However, in his childhood and youth he had many other hobbies, among which – interest in animals and horse sport. It was even more difficult to make time for artistic creativity by being involved in a legal career. The stylized portrait of his son, painted in a pencil, is one of the few surviving works from the 1980s – a bright-eyed boy in a cap – budenovka (with a red star) could become the hero of a Soviet children’s book.

In the course of his creative activity, Igor has been able to find and select expressive methods and materials that make his visual statements so compelling and help him achieve a balance between form and content. For Igor Novikov freedom of expression is one of the most important conditions of creative activity, which explains the wide range of themes and subjects encountered in his works. He does not adhere to a rigid division of genres, allowing the plot to dictate the appropriate form and technique.

It was in Spain that Igor Novikov truly devoted himself to art. (Not surprisingly, many of his works have inscriptions in Spanish.). He was captivated by the beauty of the country’s scenery, the grandeur of its architectural monuments, and the unique light and color that reflects its natural beauty. In general, the artist’s eyes are extremely well-tuned. At last, he had the chance to paint and draw. It’s not surprising that new pictures  began to appear one after another in Spain’s new atmosphere. Novikov’s solo exhibitions at Hospitalet de l’Infant (2018) and Mont-Roig  (2019) were inspired by his travels around Mont-Roig del Camp, which led him to create many compositions. The artist’s website inovikov.org now displays an honorary place for the picturesque version of his composition ‘Ermita’ (2019). Mont-Roig del Camp has several significant attractions, including the ‘Ermita de la Mare de la Roca’ building complex and the picturesque Chapel of Saint Ramon overlooking the town. The architecture, which is composed of simple forms, rises above the surrounding landscape and reaches the horizon. The composition ‘Ermita’ is influenced by the rhythm and graphic structure of the picture, which dictates the use of bright and rich colors.

Personal album of the artist called “Igor Novikov. In search of an image. Painting and graphics” was compiled and released by the publishing house “Tretyakov Gallery” in 2022 in Russian and English in Moscow. The curator of this project was Anna Diakonitsyna, an art historian, expert, senior researcher of the department of painting of the second half of the 20th century at the State Tretyakov Gallery.

 Several works by the artist have been transferred to the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts of the University of Denver, USA (2022): “Apples and Pomegranate. In memory of V.V. Kandinsky”. 2018. “Veterans Breakfast”. 2020, as well as  “Aport”,  2021.

The works have been exhibited at collective and individual exhibitions mainly in Spain,  but also in Russia, Benelux and France.