Russian American Artists in Minnesota

Unveiling Russian-American cultural patrimony in Minnesota, the exhibition of two Russian-born Minnesotan artists will feature works by Katia Andreeva and Konstantin Berkovski, formerly residents of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). The exhibition will demonstrate the versatile talents of the artists through a display of watercolors, drawings, book illustrations, and multimedia works on paper.

Their remarkable works exemplify some of the best traditions of Russian painting and drawing.  Katia Andreeva and Konstantin Berkovski were trained at Russia’s finest art schools, and their art reflects the rigorous approach to art education practiced in Soviet/Russian academia.

Born in the Far East, Russia’s Pacific seaboard, Katia Andreeva received a professional degree in fashion design in Khabarovsk. She continued her arts education at the Mukhina College of Art and Design in Leningrad/St. Petersburg during the turbulent years of the disintegration of the Soviet regime. Moving to the United States in the mid-1990s, Katia lived in New York, and the Caribbean; in 2012 she settled in Minneapolis. Her impressive skill set includes book illustration, theatrical design, icon painting, folk art design, and porcelain restoration. Katia excels in watercolor renditions of the natural beauty of the plant world. Her works can be found in American and international collections.

An artist, draftsman, and sculptor, Konstantin Berkovski was trained at the Academy of Arts in Leningrad, the oldest art school in Russia.  A resident of Minnesota since 1996, Konstantin worked for many years in watercolor technique, later shifting his focus to charcoal and crayon. He taught art classes and exhibited his art at various venues. In  2009, he established a business of growing organic vegetables, while continuing his work in fine art.  As an experimental grower, he has enjoyed the recognition and patronage of many fine chefs in the Twin Cities. Among his public art commissions is a mural at Gustavus Adolphus College, St Peter, MN. Konstantin’s works can be found in private and corporate collections, including the Medtronic Corporate Collection.

Konstantin states, “I love geometry and logic in composition; I love refined color scheme. As with many St Petersburg artists, the Old Masters collection of the Hermitage Museum is a major influence. In my still lives, I continue the traditions of the Russian ‘Cezannism’ flourishing in the 1910s through 1930s. My charcoal and pencil drawings reflect a new familiarity with classical Chinese art and calligraphy.”

Russian American Artists in Minnesota was featured in Star Tribune! Check out Mary Abbe’s review by clicking here!