Alexander Pogrebinsky

For artist Alex Pogrebinsky, there is nothing more satisfying in art than painting the face of another human being.

“To me, the most interesting surface on the Earth is the surface of the human face,” Pogrebinsky said.

One of his most recent surfaces was that of Bishop Anthony M. Pilla.  A 34-by 46-inch portrait of the Cleveland bishop hangs in the cathedral rectory.

 . . . Pogrebinsky started his work about a year ago.  He began by scheduling two sessions with the bishop, where he interviewed him to get to know him.  The artist also took several photographs of the bishop from various angles and with various facial expressions.

After the second photography session, Pogrebinsky drew a sketch of how he thought he would proceed with the portrait and showed it to the bishop to give him an idea of what it would look like. Then he started painting.

In the past, a person would have to sit still while a painter created his portrait.  Using the photographs, Pogrebinsky was able to examine his different features.  For example, he liked the way the bishop was holding his hands in one photograph but liked the facial expression better in another.  He also added elements of interest to the painting, such as a silver candelabra, for color.

The result is a large portrait of the bishop sitting in a red chair with his hands loosely folded.  He is sitting next to a table with the candelabra on it.

“It’s enjoyable to me to create something which is life itself,” said a heavily accented Pogrebinsky. “On the flat surface of the canvas, suddenly, you’ve got life.”

Pogrebinsky’s parents, both artists, encouraged their son’s artistic career when he was three.  He later attended a special fine arts high school, graduated from the Kiev State Institute of Fine Arts and completed his post graduate work at the Academy of Fine Arts of the USSR in Moscow.  He was schooled in the traditions of 19^th century Russian art, combined with modern expressionism.

This training comes through clearly in another painting of his entitled, “Where is the Truth?” a painting of Jesus questioning Pontius Pilate. His work has been exhibited all over the world, in museums in the Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany. Locally, his work has been exhibited in Tower City and at the Barth Gallery, 2678 W. 14^th St.  His work is also sold in Toledo and Detroit.

“I was born into an artistic family,” he said. “It was my pleasure. It was my inclination.  It was my destiny to be an artist.”

. . . “Art itself is a part of the societal life of a nation,” Pogrebinsky said. “It’s not just an amusement. It’s part of how we gain knowledge. It’s taken very seriously over there.  Culture is a part of the nation.  You cannot have the nation without the culture.  Culture helps strengthen a society.”

Bishop Pilla said that people in the diocese have sent him paintings of himself before, but this was the first time he had participating in the formal painting of his portrait.

He admits that when he first saw the painting, he was impressed by the high quality but was a little embarrassed at seeing a portrait of himself. 

. . . “I give him my gratitude and my compliments on his work,” said Bishop Pilla, who also enjoys painting.  However, he prefers using watercolors to illustrate landscapes, as opposed to portraits.

He agrees with Pogrebinsky that there is something special about capturing a subject or object on the canvas as opposed to a camera.

“The photograph is just a mechanical representation of an object,” Bishop Pilla said. “The painting has something of the artist in it.  An artist puts something of himself or herself into it.”

. . . “The diocese is greatly appreciative of this donation,” Father Wright said. “Everyone who has seen it has been impressed by it. It’s a great work of art.”

By Nancy M. Erikson  
Catholic Universe Bulletin July 11, 1997

Erikson is a freelance writer in Willoughby Hills