Yevgeniy Lopatin is an artist and founder of the international art space YL ART GALLERY, a man with an unusual destiny. Having gone from being a deep-sea captain to a recognised master, he found his true calling not in the routine of the sea, but in creativity. Each of his works is not just an image, but a story imbued with unique experience and energy. We spoke with Yevgeniy about his creative journey, sources of inspiration, and plans for the future.
Your story is an incredible transition from a deep-sea captain to an artist. What was that point of no return when you realized it was time to radically change your life?
When I first took over as captain, I felt a sense of emptiness, despite having greedily striven for this position, having gone all the way from an ordinary sailor to a deep-sea captain. Modern maritime work has long lost its maritime essence and turned into an office routine in front of a computer. At some point, I felt something inside me dying. It was then that I felt a strong urge towards creativity and started to draw. New neural connections formed in my brain. It came alive. I didn’t allow the Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V buttons to destroy my mind.
I continue to draw, but I remain an active captain. The point of no return has not yet been passed.
You were born in the mountains, but your life led you to the sea. How have these two seemingly opposite elements — the majesty of the Pamirs and the vastness of the ocean — influenced your worldview and artistic style?
The more elements a person is capable of experiencing, comprehending, feeling, and containing within themselves, the richer their worldview. The majesty of the Pamirs and the vastness of the ocean have influenced my style in the most favorable way.
You mentioned that you drew on school desks as a child. How do you think those childhood, spontaneous drawings are connected to your work today?
Those childhood drawings on desks were unusually accurate. Drawn with a pen without any corrections, they conveyed a complete likeness. The teachers recognized themselves. My classmates were amazed. Now, when drawing a portrait, I might work on a single stroke for several hours or even days, striving for likeness. In those moments, I recollect in the memory myself at the school desk, effortlessly capturing a likeness, and I bring the portrait to the desired state. I am learning to draw from that boy.
Where do you draw inspiration for your works from? What is most often their theme, and why are these subjects especially close to you?
Inspiration is always with me (or within me — if we are talking specifically about IN-spiration). Subjects come to my mind spontaneously, like a revelation. I like the forms of the human body, conveyed through light and shadow. I like to reveal a person’s inner world through their gaze, mimicry, and gestures. I like the textures of different fabrics and materials that add naturalness to the portraits. This is what most of the plots are built upon.
What made you choose pencil and then charcoal as your primary tools? What is it about these materials that allows you to best express yourself?
The first reason is a love for nature. Graphite and charcoal are natural materials. Many of my works are done with charcoal sticks obtained from willow branches. Such charcoal is softer than pressed charcoal. It gives the paintings more lightness and velvetiness.
The second reason is that I love black and white images. They have a lot of depth. My collection also includes colored works, executed with charcoal, white chalk, sepia, and sanguine. All these materials are of natural origin.
You pay special attention to quality —wooden frames, anti-reflective glass. Why are these details so important to you, and how do you think they influence the perception of the artwork?
Quality is formed from details, which is why I pay special attention to them. When my work is framed in a natural wood frame with quality anti-reflective glass, it is perceived as complete, full-fledged, and rich, ready to adorn an interior without any extra questions or fuss.
Which of your works do you consider the most personal, and what is the story behind its creation?
On one hand, each of my works is very personal, as it is created with love and desire. Each one carries my energy. Each work is not just an image, it is a story that is interesting to read.
On the other hand, the works are created for sale, so I won’t call them personal, lest it turns into a “sale of personal belongings.” A collector, upon purchasing my work, will find in it, besides the meanings and images I have invested, something of their own, personal.
You call YL ART GALLERY not just a gallery, but an art space. What is this key difference? What unique mission do you embed in your gallery, beyond displaying and selling works?
If we don’t delve deeply into the etymology of these words, then in the modern understanding, a gallery is a commercial structure that exhibits artists’ works to find buyers for them. An art space is a broader concept that includes not only exhibitions for the purpose of sale but also various events aimed at uniting people through art and culture. This is the mission of YL ART GALLERY.
What new horizons do you see for yourself and for YL ART GALLERY in the near future?Do you have plans for new collaborations with other artists or projects?
At this stage, the project is just being born. YL ART GALLERY is taking its first steps on the path to success, moving very cautiously towards new horizons. There are plans, there are hopes. I try not to look too far ahead. I am glad to be cooperating with GLOBAL TALENT CONFEDERATION. Time will tell what this collaboration will turn into.
