Summary
“…His stories…can take you…from your everyday mind to a universe of meditative contemplation, a higher plane. These stories, like his paintings have about them a quality of mystery, of “extraordinary imagination”…as if his talented eyes see so much more than what our normal eyes can see. The stories grab the reader, compel the viewer, do not let you go. …Mervyn Rothstein, writer, The New York Times.
Here are 24 short stories in the book FABLES OF LOVE AND ART by Vladimir Aituganov. They are contemporary tales about love, art and artists, alternately, filled with pathos, humor, romance, sexuality, high adventure and echoes of political oppression. Some of these stories take you through what it was like to be an artist in Russia during the days of the iron curtain. There are many surprises. The first story Beast, is set in New York City and is both sophisticated and heart wrenching. Aituganov’s imagination also takes us to visit some of the great artists of the past, like Leonardo D’Vinci and Pagannini, as he spins the tales with original twists about their art and romantic aspirations. Aituganov is a superb story teller. These stories will give you unusually penetrating and rare insights into the heart, soul and mind of an artist which ranges from macho to sublime tenderness. These tales are sure to find their place in the annals of classic world literature.
About the Author
Writer, painter, art conservator, scuba diver, martial artist was born in Russia and moved to the United States in 1991. Aituganov's paintings and drawings hang in the Museums in many countries, and his church mosaics have been designated to the status of Russian Icons. His publications in English, Russian and Danish include books on Aubrey Beardsley, Kung Fu, and articles on philosophy, culture, history, art and painting restoration. This is his first book of fiction.
