Oil painting The mistress of the house Igor Konovalov

№Kon 134

The oil painting on canvas titled "The Mistress of the House" presents an intriguing and thought-provoking scene that blurs the lines between humor, social commentary, and surrealism. The composition is set in an elegant yet somewhat exaggeratedly stylized interior, featuring a spacious, modern-looking room with large windows that let in soft natural light. The architecture is geometric, with open archways and clean lines, contributing to the theatrical atmosphere of the piece. At the center of the painting, a woman with a full-figured body reclines on the floor in a confident and almost playful pose. She wears a pink swimsuit and matching bunny ears, evoking a satirical nod to classic pin-up imagery. Her facial expression is warm and self-assured, radiating amusement as she gazes directly at the viewer. Surrounding her are two maids, dressed in stereotypical French maid outfits, complete with black and white uniforms, frilly aprons, and high heels. Their postures and actions convey movement, as they dutifully clean the room. One stands tall, reaching up to dust the ceiling with a feather duster, while the other bends down to sweep near the stairs. Their outfits, body language, and facial expressions contrast with that of the central figure, creating a dynamic interplay between roles, status, and expectation. Adding to the surreal and whimsical nature of the painting are the floating balloon-like creatures that hover around the room. These small, colorful figures appear to be animated balloon animals, rendered with a glossy, reflective quality. They defy gravity, drifting in unexpected places—some near the ceiling, others low to the ground. Their presence introduces an element of fantasy, further amplifying the painting’s playful yet satirical tone. The use of color is deliberate and striking. The mistress’s pink attire stands out against the cooler tones of the room, while the black and white maid uniforms provide a stark contrast. The interior is bathed in warm, pastel hues, with soft blues and beiges adding to the dreamy, almost cinematic quality of the scene. The painting plays with themes of power, beauty, and societal roles. The exaggerated contrast between the glamorous maid outfits and the relaxed, uninhibited presence of the central figure suggests a reversal of traditional expectations.

*** ABOUT THIS PAINTING ***
* TITLE: "The mistress of the house"
* ARTISTS: Igor Konovalov
* SIZE: 120x90 cm/'47.24x35.43 inches'
* MEDIUM: oil, canvas
* HAND PAINTED: Original painting from our collection
* CONDITION: we tried to convey the maximum information with the help of photos about this product

About the artist: He was born in 1965 in the city of Novy Bug.

1983—1987 — Dnipropetrovsk State Art School.

1987—1993 — Kyiv State Art Institute.

Since 1993, co-founder of the art commune "Squat on Olehivska Street", the activity of which has two periods:

1993—1996 — "classic squat" (occupation of premises for workshops and housing, exhibition activity, as a practice of introduction into society).

1996-2006 — "fictitious squat" (author of the project — Fiction Gallery Expedition. — going beyond workshops and galleries (institutions) into open urban space.

The founder of the Hill-art direction (art on the hills), within the framework of which actions were held and facilities were created on the hills of Kyiv.

2010-2020 - develops the author's mythology, which he called "Infodelica".

The creator of paintings, promotions, objects and video art.

Lives and works in Kyiv.

EXHIBITIONS

Personal exhibitions:

2020 - Recreation room, Kyiv History Museum, Kyiv

2019 - "Voices", CSM "Soviart", Kyiv

2018 - "Two Pages", Kyiv History Museum, Kyiv

2017 - "Point of support", CSM "Soviart", Kyiv

2016 – "Presidency", CSM "Soviart", Kyiv

2016 - "Relax", CSM "Soviart", Kyiv

2015 – "Wi-Fi", DTEK Academy, business center "Eurasia", Kyiv

2013 - "Infa&infadelika", 8-bit Gallery, Kyiv

2012 - "Infa", Gallery "Forest", Moscow, Russia

2011 - "Infa", RA Gallery, Kyiv

2010 – I. Konovalov, Museum of Sovr. image of Arts of Ukraine (MSIIU), Kyiv

2009 – "Golden Mountains", RA Gallery, Kyiv

2008 - Ctrl-Z, RA Gallery, Kyiv

Group exhibitions:

2020 – ART CAPITAL, Grand Palais, Paris. Salon Comparaisons, groupe Alain Campello

2017 - "Squat on Olehivska Street", Sumy Municipal Gallery, Sumy

2015 – Museum collections, Ukrainian modern art. (1985-2015)

2015 – "Coefficient of independence" (America House), Kyiv

2015 - "Art for the sake of life" - charity project, "Art Arsenal", Kyiv

2014 - The 21st nude art exhibition "MAN & WOMAN", At the Museum of New Art, Pärnu, Estonia

2012 - "Squat on Olehivska Street", M17 Center of Contemporary Art, Kyiv

2012 - Art-Moscow, 16th International Art Fair, Moscow, Russia

2011 - "Independents", New art of the new country 1991-2011, "Art Arsenal", Kyiv

2011 – "Space Odyssey-2011", "Art Arsenal", Kyiv

2010 - Art project "AUT" - international art project, Chocolate House, Kyiv

Press:

• Catalog for a personal exhibition: I. Konovalov, Museum of Modern Fine Arts of Ukraine (MSIIU), "Infa", "Forest" Gallery

• The book "Squat on Olehivska Street" (1993 - 2015), Kyiv

• Collection of the Museum of Ukrainian Modern Art 1985–2015 from private collections

25 years of presence. Modern Ukrainian artists. 1991-2016, Kyiv

• Collection of catalogs of participation in numerous exhibitions and auctions

Works are located:

• Dnipropetrovsk Art Museum

• Museum of Modern Fine Arts of Ukraine (MSIIU)

• Kyiv History Museum

• In private meetings: Boris and Tetyana Hrynievych, Igor Voronov, Igor Abramovich, Oleg Krasnosilskyi, Volodymyr Kashirskyi, and others.