Kutoboy Ilya
Ilya Kutoboy is an illustrator from Moscow. Graduated from the Faculty of Physics and Technology of KSU (1997-2002), and from the Graphic Design course of the Belarusian Higher School of Art (2013). Also studied at the Illustration Workshop of the Russian Reporter Summer School (2017) and on the Design Legends course at Future London Academy (2017).
Collaborated with the illustration agency BANG! BANG! STUDIO, RBC style and others.
The artist calls his style “tropical primitivism”, inspired by his numerous travels to the islands of Asia and Indonesia. In his works Ilya mixes painting and graphics, scraps of phrases and words, creating images reminiscent of dreams with a non-linear plot. Often his heroes are animals, plants, peculiar ladies and unusual creatures who find themselves on the same plane of the ever-changing carnival of life.
SELECTED SOLO AND GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
- 2024 — Two turns around the rainbow, a—s—t—r—a gallery, Winzavod, Moscow
- 2023 — Blazar, a—s—t—r—a gallery, Moscow
- 2022 — a—s—t—r—a Open.Vol 1, a—s—t—r—a gallery, Winzavod, Moscow
- 2022 — Blazar young art fair, Museum of Moscow, Moscow
- 2021 — Syndrome of Tropical States, Moscow / Khlebzavod
- 2021 — MOST contemporary art auction, Krasnodar
- 2014 — Prosmotr, St. Petersburg
- 2014 — Time for art, Moscow
Exhibition Two turns around the rainbow, a—s—t—r—a gallery, Winzavod, Moscow
"Initially, my fascination with art started with music. Music for me is a big field for experimentation. I've participated in different genre projects, recorded solo albums and I'm a big music lover. I call my style at the moment - "Tropical Primitivism". The theme of tropics appeared in my work thanks to my numerous travels to the islands of Asia and Indonesia - the heat and raging vegetation of those places have deeply sprouted inside me. In my works I like to mix painting and graphics, scraps of phrases and words, superimpose ghostly or more concrete images on each other, which remind me of dreams with a non-linear plot. Often the heroes of my works are animals and plants, peculiar ladies and creatures who find themselves on the same plane of the ever-changing carnival of life. I think it is great when art does not carry strict dogmas, but expands the boundaries of our imagination. I try not to forget that I'm just stardust."
Ilya Kutoboy
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:
- Kommersant FM - Otkritie Bank organizes exhibitions of contemporary art for Private Banking clients
- Playbill - Ilya Kutoboy. Two turns around the rainbow
- U magazine - Ilya Kutoboy: “Contemporary art could use an extra dose of self-irony”
- Snob - Ilya Kutoboy: I create a kind of oasis where I can take a break to move on
- Art Flash - “I try to be a good observer, to look around and notice different details”: Ilya Kutoboy about the exhibition at “a-s-t-r-a” gallery
- Bang! Bang! - Artist or Illustrator? Interview with Ilya Kutoboy
- Bang Bang Education - Why do bad things when you can do nothing?
- Chef.ru - Ilya Kutoboy's exhibition opened in the gastrobar SHROME
Works
