‘Real art should reveal the higher essence of existence, express the deepest truths of the spirit, carry love and give wings to the soul- otherwise, why would people need it?’ Galyna Moskvitina

Featuring the Laternative Realism style founded by the artist herself, The Heart of the Matter is the radiant result of Moskvitina’s own fifteen year experience of Eastern Philosophy. Whatever your personal take on spirituality, Moskvitina’s paintings lend themselves flawlessly to a meditative state; the colours are soft, with the pastel tones of prisms or soap bubbles. As bright as the Christmas lights of Oxford Street, the walls of Hay Hill Gallery are illuminated with the idea that by peeling back the dulling layers of material stuff and noise, the true centre will be found.

Moskvitina explains that her ‘Laternative Realism’ has its etymological beginnings in ‘lantern’ and ‘nature’. Her canvases catch the magpie-eye with glittering jewels, snowflake prisms, cracked ice and smashed glass. Inspired by the teachings of Gurdjieff this ‘authentic artist’ is deliberate in her approach, consciously creating art designed to resonate deeply with the spectator. Our rushed approach can be altered by these visual prompts: in slowing down to become aware of the present, our concept of time will be stretched out like elastic.

The idea of approaching time differently is encoded within these paintings, with each of the ‘Sparkle Series’ named to indicate the time of day that they will have their full impact. This intentional way of linking art to nature and spirit is reminiscent of the ancient Egyptians: with their emphasis on weaving science, art and religion into the fabric of daily life; imbuing even their architectural designs with a sense of the infinite.

Moskvitina’s works have been auctioned at Bonhams and MacDougalls, and many are now in private collections as meditative pieces. Like tuning forks they strike a silvery note, aligning every listener with ‘the heart of the matter’. Though the maelstrom of shoppers and glowing taillights of rush hour continues to busily hum round Marylebone, this is an unexpectedly beautiful space to catch your breath- and just be still for a little while.

Text by E.S.Jones

Galyna Moskvitina has had a glittering career as a graphic artist, painter and illustrator. Born in Kiev, her illustration works have appeared in nearly 70 books published in the former Soviet Union, including classics, fiction and children’s literature. Her public work reached a high point with solo exhibitions in Ukraine and abroad in 1991.

Toward the end of 1991 the artist decided to redirect her life towards a reflection on her own spirituality, and she withdrew from the art scene and from her homeland. She spent the next fifteen years on a series of personal meditative pilgrimages in the monasteries of China and the ashrams of India, discovering ancient knowledge and experimenting with different practices that could lead to spiritual perfection. Moskvitina continues to develop her artistic practice as a way of communicating to the wider world about the inner truths she has discovered.