The Chess and Literature Series / Aigul Yusupoff
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Opening Hours: Monday 15th – 10am - 6pm Tuesday 16th - 12pm – 6pm Wednesday 17th - 10am - 6pm Thursday 18th – 10am – 5.30pm Friday - 12pm – 6pm Saturday – 12pm – 5pm
Aigul paints using oil on canvas, predominantly employing a palette of red, black, and white hues. Her artistic style is characterized by deeply existential themes, which she often explores through experimentation with abstraction and cubism. Above all, she has a particular affinity for the color red, which she views as powerful and highly expressive.
The artist draws inspiration from her passion for chess and Russian literature, both of which are frequently reflected in her paintings. These motifs serve as a recurring theme throughout her body of work, lending an additional layer of depth and complexity to her already thought-provoking pieces.
A percentage of sales will go towards helping Ukrainian refugees.
About Aigul Yusupoff:
Aigul is an inspiring young woman whose journey has taken her from the world of venture capital and opposition politics in Russia to becoming an artist in England. Aigul’s experience in the world of business and politics led her to work with Alexei Navalny, the prominent Russian opposition leader, and anti-corruption activist, whose story was recently featured in an Oscar-winning documentary. Sadly, Aigul’s work with Navalny and her activism for a better Russia led to her being targeted by the authorities, and she was forced to flee to London for her safety after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. There, she pursued her passion for art and enrolled in Saint Martins, one of the world’s leading art schools.
Aigul has turned to art as a way to deal with the difficulties she has faced as both a dissident in Russia and a political refugee in the UK. Art has become her “coping mechanism,” a way for her to process and express the emotions and experiences she has gone through. Notably, her creations poignantly reflect the themes of loneliness, homesickness, and the necessity of rebuilding a new life from the ground up that are central to her lived experiences.