I really love Fellini. He creates a world that is dramatic and funny at the same time. It’s paradoxical and almost farce, and it is always interesting. Fellini’s work is not merely cinema, it is more a Theatre of Life. And Tokarev’s polyptychs are also that sort of theatre, a unique world analogous to Fellini’s. It’s vivid, grotesque, tragicomic and in fact philosophical.
Lidia Iovleva, First Deputy Director
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
National museum of Russian Art)
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His language is quite unique. He is not like anyone else. He is a very STAND-ALONE artist. He is to a degree linked with tradition; he doesn’t do installations that are so fashionable now. However, his art is cinematographic as it uses the contemporary language that has been developing since the beginning of the 20th century, and now the cinematographic features are becoming primary. Tokarev blends cinema and painting, and the outcome is very interesting. That’s Tokarev’s style and that’s why his works are so up-to-date.
Evgenia Petrova, Deputy Director
State Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg
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Tokarev’s art is characterized by deep philosophical meaning, powerful energy, and keen poetic sense. With his deep appreciation of musical tones, the artist discovers an equivalent visual expression of them by creating a world of musical images through graphic language.
Mikhail Shvydkoi,
Russian President’s Special Envoy for International Cultural Exchange
Minister for Culture and Mass Media of Russia (2000-2004)
Head of Russia’s Federal Cultural Agency (2004-2008)
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His work relies not only on his interior world, but by surmounting the current climate of disillusion and chaos is able to achieve universality.
Harvey Pitkin, Professor
Columbia University (NY)
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Tokarev has created the part of the contemporary Russian avant-garde which will make our epoch famous, as the Russian avant-garde of the 20s did in its time.
Claude Robert, Comissaire Priseur,
President of the Drouot Auction House
Board of Directors (till 1992), Paris
***
Alexander Tokarev is an artist who could be the hero of a novel. He lives the way a novel is written, a novel with a certain taste, coherence and range that make you wonder how it will all turn out. He also paints in a novelistic manner: on a generous scale with a multitude of characters and intriguing themes.
Anton Uspensky, Art scholar,
Exhibition Curator,
The State Russian Museum
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If your collection of paintings could use some additions, pay attention to Alexander Tokarev. He is one of the last living Russian masters from the once powerful avant-guard trend.
Ogonyok Magazine, August 2002
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To me he is an Artist with a capital “A”… A 21st century artist.
Joseph Kiblitsky, Publisher,
Curator of International Projects
Ludwig Museum at the Russian Museum, Director
***
Alexander Tokarev is one of the most intellectual and at the same time ironic artist of our time. His work is an intricate combination of icons and popular art (lubok) with the best traditions of the European and Russian avant-guard.
TV Channel «KULTURA», October 2004