"Madame la France" (Le Brun) Print

Maxim Fomenko is a Russian-born contemporary artist known for his vibrant and abstract approach to portraiture. He draws heavily from modernist masters like Picasso, Francis Bacon, and David Hockney, but brings his own playful and provocative style into the mix. His work often features distorted faces, sometimes incorporating surreal elements like replacing eyes with abstract forms, creating a disorienting, psychedelic effect that blurs the line between humor and discomfort. Fomenko’s paintings typically explore identity and the human condition, touching on themes of beauty, death, and artistic legacy. His use of bright, often neon colors gives his work a dynamic, modern edge, while the distorted figures invite the viewer to question their own perceptions of self and others. This blend of abstraction and figuration is reminiscent of Bacon's explorations of the human form, but Fomenko adds a more playful, less brutal twist to his subjects. His series of works dedicated to figures like Alfred Hitchcock and Pablo Picasso showcase his fascination with both the celebrity and the inner life of the artist, while his "melting faces" series delves into the existential struggles of modern creatives. Fomenko reflects on the pressures artists face today, especially in the wake of historical giants, questioning what it means to be a creator in a world where everything seems to have already been said. Fomenko’s art has been exhibited across Europe and is included in prestigious collections such as the Bavarian State collection in Germany. His works have a global appeal, capturing the attention of collectors and galleries alike for their bold colors, thought-provoking content, and unique visual style. Fomenko's playful yet deep exploration of identity, art history, and modern existence makes him a significant contemporary artist whose work continually evolves while staying rooted in timeless artistic questions​.