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Alexander Cheglakov
RUSSIA
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“For me the worse the wood, the better it is!”
The works of Alexander Cheglakov attract the attention of the viewer at first sight: such a great skill the artist has and so freely he uses the traditional set of decorative art techniques. It seems that there is a certain danger in it: technology can become an end in itself and lead one into unjustified experimentation. However, it does not happen to Cheglakov — each new object becomes the development of a certain stage, verification of certain techniques, ideological and semantic findings.
Lyre of Apollo | Wood Carving
$11,000
A gorgeous wooden artwork candle holder made from the fallen oak branch, which is about 250 years old. The stand is made of Siberian larch. The shape of the artwork resembles a lyre of Apollo from ancient Greek mythology. Seven candles are set on brass "strings", and a living flickering fire creates the feeling of Lyra sound. The artwork is covered and protected with special wood wax and lightly colored with gold paint.
Alexander's works are expressive bright compositions consisting of complexly structured elements of naturally aged wood.
On the crest of a wave | Wood Carving
$11,000
Wooden artwork made from the trunk of the fallen oak, struck by lightning, and burned out almost completely from the inside. The shape resembles a wave crest. A natural pearl shell with a candle symbolizing a pearl is based on the surface. Candles emanate a warm atmosphere. The artwork is covered and protected with special wood wax and colored with gold paint. The stand is made of Siberian larch and circled by the rope.
Most often, dead secular trees are used as material. Thanks to the special technique and amazing imagination of the artist, wood gets a well-deserved second life in the interior.
There is a certain danger in this: technology can become an end in itself and lead one into unjustified experimentation.
Alexander Cheglakov created a new direction in arts and crafts, synthesizing diverse materials and harmoniously combining them with each other, as a result of which he presented the viewer with a new look at the works of wood alchemy.
Joy of light | Wood Carving
$8,000
The artwork is made from the trunk of an ancient oak tree. Installed 9 oil candles. The textured surface is treated with wax and gilding. The stand is made of Siberian larch.
Artwork made from an ancient oak trunk, struck by lightning and burned out almost completely from the inside. Natural Californian coral is set with a candle symbolizing pearls. According to some legends, Bahrain is the place where the Gardens of Eden were located. This is reminiscent of a mysterious tree growing alone in the desert. It is not known where the paradise acacia gets its water from, but it has been growing for several centuries, and every year it only becomes more magnificent.
Tree of life | Wood Carving
$9,000
Large-scale compositions, candlesticks, lamps, wall panels are designed for everyday use, but at the same time require a special arrangement and even are inclined towards a theatrical situation. Some forms are extravagant; they deliberately demonstrate their uniqueness, relying on the exclusiveness of the demonstration. Many art objects are connected with historical and religious subjects, which make it possible to “title” the work in an original way.
Alexander's works are expressive bright compositions consisting of complexly structured elements of naturally aged wood.
“For me the worse the wood, the better it is!” Alexander notes paradoxically.
The longer a spruce or an oak is on the ground or in the water, the more valuable they are in terms of structure — a natural break in the trunk. The internal and external surfaces of the wood after processing are striking in their texture and beauty.
“I process the surface in different ways: I grind and cover it with wax or, on the contrary, I emphasize a corrugated texture for volume, sometimes I age it, “uglify” it with an ax or a chainsaw, and then I brush it again with metal brushes of different hardness.
However, I know when to stop and try to make minimal changes in what nature has created.”
For example, the composition “Golgotha” is made from a fragment of a two-hundred-year-old dead oak tree, which, according to the number of rings on the cut, was not only a witness of the fierce battles on the Moscow defense line in 1941, but also of the retreat of Napoleon's troops. The wood massif of “Golgotha” is crowned with a bronze figure of Jesus carrying the cross, and the candles located on the fancily embossed surface of the object symbolize the light that the Savior left in the souls of people.
Seven lights | Wood Carving
$9,000
The composition in the shape of a crescent moon is made of centuries-old oak, scorched by lightning. Seven sacred oil candles installed on the surface. A mysterious bronze star is suspended at the top. The stand is made of Siberian larch and it is devoted to the appearance of the sacred Kaaba. The artwork is covered and protected with a special wood wax and is lightly colored with gold paint.
The work impresses with its scale and complexity of execution, so the lines of the spiritual poetry of Mikhail Lomonosov involuntarily come to mind: “The Lord my Savior and the Light: Whom shall I fear?” The artist boldly implements the ideas of Christianity, Judaism, Islam in his works, streaking wood with many signs that carry a deep mystical meaning.
The Grand menorah | Wood Carving
$4,000
Gorgeous wooden artwork combined with candle holder made from fallen oak trunk. Seven candles mounted on brass bowls emanate a warm atmosphere. The stand is made of Siberian larch. The artwork is covered and protected with a special wood wax and is lightly colored with gold paint.
The artist's ability to elegantly embody a complex philosophical thought, to materialize it, is striking. In general, this declarativity not only does not violate the traditional techniques adopted in the field of applied art, but also endows a special subtext into them. The pathetical subject itself serves as an organizing principle, the basis for the expressiveness of works, gives them originality.
Inexpressible wooden artwork made from the fallen spruce trunk and naturally decorated by the bark beetle's "cave paintings". Seven candles are mounted on brass bowls and emanate a warm atmosphere. The artwork is covered and protected with special wood wax and lightly colored with gold paint. The stand is made of Siberian larch.
Menorah Imperial | Wood Carving
$5,000
“Sometimes I age it, “uglify” it with an ax or a chainsaw, and then I brush it again with metal brushes of different hardness.”
The katana | Wood Carving
$6,000
Unique wooden artwork made from the fallen spruce trunk that resembles the shape of samurai sword katana. The surface is naturally decorated by the bark beetle's "cave paintings". Seven candles are mounted on brass bowls and emanate a warm atmosphere. The artwork is covered and protected with special wood wax and colored with gold paint. The stand is made of Siberian larch.
Alexander Cheglakov not only finds the image of a thing, but also declares his creed — the creation of interior items by means of contemporary art. Here he turns to knowledge and personal experience, and technical experiments with material determine the originality of the artistic style.
Wooden artwork made from the trunk of the fallen oak, struck by lightning and burned out almost completely from the inside. Bronze figure of a bull is mounted on the top. Candles emanate a warm atmosphere. The artwork is covered and protected with special wood wax and colored with gold paint. The stand is made of Siberian larch.
The Rape of Europa | Wood Carving
$7,000
It is obvious that the main priorities of his work are always the comprehension of the sculpturesque qualities of wood, the harmony of the decorative form. Their synthesis invariably nourishes the originality and uniqueness of the master's talent.
Dance of fire | Wood Carving
$7,000
Wooden artwork combined with candle holder made from falling oak roots. Three candles mounted on brass bowls emanate a warm atmosphere. The stand is made of Siberian larch. The artwork is covered and protected with a special wood wax and is lightly colored with gold paint.
“I know when to stop and try to make minimal changes in what nature has created.”
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