Sasha Bassari was born in Gorkij, Russia in 1963. In 1982 he graduated from the School of Art in his native city.  In 1991 Sasha graduated from the Art College named after famous sculptor V.I. Mukhina in St. Petersburg, Russia.  Since 1992 he has been a member of the Union of Artists of Russia.

Sasha is of the same school as famed Russian artist Sergei Smirnov, who achieved global recognition for his angel-like figurative paintings.  It is very difficult to label his unique style.  Enchanted Realism comes to mind.  Naïve Surrealism is another option.  Some have called it Gentle Surrealism.

Welcome to the Enchanted World of Sasha Bassari.  Here you will find peace, relaxation, creativity, and love.  The artist paints children playing, peaceful town-scapes, angels and fairies.  The paintings are soft and gentle.  All his work is immersed in the ideal of unity throughout the Universe. The artist combines carefully placed, soft, diffused colors contrasting with graceful yet bold brush strokes – a unique blend of the essence of the subject – and the spirit of the artist. The figures in his paintings appear as if they are angels: divine souls, completely innocent and pure.  Those angels seem floating in an atmosphere of melancholy happiness.

Sasha lives in a small one-room apartment built above the top floor of an old building in the historical center of  St. Petersburg, Russia.  It is so small, it is impossible to cook and paint at the same time.  But Sasha knows every roof and chimney that he sees out of the only window the apartment has and can’t part with the view.

When asked how his style was born, Sasha first is trying to avoid the question, but then says, looking directly at you with his huge innocent eyes, that one night he was lying awake and a nymph of an unbelievable beauty flew into his room.  She smiled at him but when he extended his hand to touch her, she disappeared.

He also will say that he had heard music and saw in his head this wonderful world he is trying now to depict.  He says this is not a separate world.  I am not talking about magic kingdoms or other galaxies, he will say.  I just see that which others, for some reason, do not see – we are sharing our world, our streets and our forest and rivers with creatures that are afraid of us and not making themselves visible. The creatures, Sasha would continue, are asking us not to destroy the world we live in… it is their world as well.

Saper Galleries is pleased to introduce to you the enchanting paintings of Russian artist Sash Bassari.

Enjoy!