Soviet impressionist

Tatyana Gafar has published a book "Victor Losev" about the artist, after whom the festival was named on the Volga River

This is the first attempt of a systematic approach to the work of Victor Losev (1926 - 1995), the Soviet impressionist of the last half of the 20th century. The author doesn't pretend to an intensive art research, but she tells about the tragic and at the same time happy fate of a free man who created art works not by order, but by the impulse of his soul.

Victor Losev created most of the paintings and miniatures in Volgograd. Streets and squares were his workshops. The artist painted a retrospective of the construction of the City of Peace, which appeared from the destroyed Stalingrad, as well as peaceful and free citizens.

"The artist finely felt the mood of the city and in many respects repeated its tragic fate. Victor Losev became an integral part of the new, non-military history of Volgograd, a genius of the place and a city landmark", comments Vladislav Pavlov, editor of the book series Genius loci. "In the 21st century he became an urban legend, giving the name to the festival. Every year in May, professional and amateur artists take to the streets of the city to create works in public space, just like Viktor Losev did."

"Also this is a book about the main human values: life, peace and freedom", comments Dmitry Grushevsky the curator of the project "Excuse me, have you seen Mr.Losev?".

The author of the book is Tatyana Gafar, an art critic, a candidate of historical sciences, a member of the Union of Russian Artists, a head of the Small Museums Development Service of the State Tretyakov Gallery. The book explores the role and influence of the artist on the city. The author analyzes the historical and artistic value of the master's heritage and the process of appearance of interest to his work. The book was published by Volgograd State University in a postcard format with famous miniatures of Victor Losev.