cv/statement

b. 1987. orel, russia.
— lives and works in düsseldorf, germany.

sasha saari is a contemporary abstract painter whose work is rooted in purity, minimalism, and radical abstraction. based on the principles of avant-garde and abstract movements of the mid-20th century, he rethinks them in his own unique visual language.

creating a painting for him is comparable to jazz improvisation, where the process of composing music takes place directly during its execution. sasha’s work is a spontaneous dialogue between material and gesture, where compositions emerge in real time without rigid preconceptions. each piece develops organically in the studio, guided by instinct rather than fixed concepts, allowing the work to unfold naturally.

sasha’s works are defined by their raw, sculptural presence. his paintings often blur the boundaries between painting and object. the raised elements emerging from the base give it a three-dimensional, almost architectural quality. the edges of his forms appear rough and torn, as if shaped by time and erosion, giving the work a sense of organic imperfection. the interplay of depth, shadow, and texture invites a tactile engagement, where the physicality of the materials becomes as important as the painted surface itself. the shapes within his compositions often appear as fragmented structures—floating, suspended, or emerging from the canvas—suggesting a tension between presence and absence.

despite their minimalist aesthetic, saari’s paintings are emotionally charged. the absence of excessive detail allows for a direct, unfiltered exchange between the viewer and the artwork. his pieces are not meant to impose meaning but to act as vessels for pure emotion, encouraging a contemplative experience where simplicity magnifies depth. at its core, saari’s work is about the essence of painting itself—form, material, and the raw energy of creation. it is an exploration of silence, space, and the subtle dynamics that exist between the artwork and the observer.

founder of @abstrakton.

exhibitions

2023 het altijd zijnde. abstracte, breda, ned.
2023 no name. kingsgate project space, london, uk.

2019 essenziell. galerie christoph abbuehl, solothurn, swi.
2019 solo. quiet room, alvar aalto library. ryborg, ru.

2018 solo, 100 years of acid rain. berthold centre, russia.
**previous exhibitions under the alias of sasha pichushkin.
2018 group, de lachende cavalier. wijnstraat 119 dordrecht, ned.

2017 group. no title. ruimte p60. assen, ned.
2017 group. weiss, Galerie christoph abbuhl, solothurn, swi.