Denis Sarazhin

Denis Sarazhin was born in Nikopol, Ukraine in 1982. He attended the Kharkov Art and Design Academy, graduating in 2008. He specialized in painting and was a pupil of Ganozkiy V. L., Chaus V. N., and Vintayev V. N. Sarazhin was awarded with the 1st Degree Diploma Award for Excellence in Painting from the Ukrainian Art Academy. Since 2007 he has been a member of Kharkov’s section of the association of Ukraine’s Artists’ Alliance. The human figure has been the focal point of Sarazhin’s work for a number of years, but his treatment of the subject is constantly evolving. A common element of his work is to focus on the body rather than the face.

Many of the bodies in his paintings are in motion. Their forms constantly move off of the canvas in the scene. “The idea of concentrating on the figure more than the face comes from impressions of contemporary dance and pantomime theater, where body language is the main method to express emotion and feelings,” says Sarazhin. “I find a lot of possibilities for painting compositions in depicting a human body, possibilities to express some kind of emotion through a figure’s movement makes this theme a great artistic tool.”

The visual experience is the heart of Sarazhin’s paintings; where instead of offering a complete narrative, he allows the figures to be the guides. “I think visual language can tell even more than you can express using only words,” Sarazhin explains. “There is something about it you can feel, but couldn’t explain using language. That’s why I have an interest in body language; it is very powerful nonverbal language. Using it in a visual context, you can say a lot of things without words.”

Sarazhin’s working process includes various methods to create a harmonious composition. If his poses are too complex for a model to hold over a long period of time he will work from photos. He believes that embracing new technologies and strategies can propel his creative works from his observations of life.