Incubus’ Choice: Close-up on Sergey Svetlakov

What message(s) do you want to express through your work?

I try to convey the beauty of the ordinary fellows without model appearance. I am looking for the beauty in the unaffected and nature, without showy poses… I want to prove that the real male beauty is not only a splendid physique, it is also a soul…

Which artists inspire you? Who are your masters?

Some artists of the past inspire me, like the French artist Pierre Puvis de Chavannes (1824-1898), the German artist Max Klinger (1857-1920), the Austrian Egon Schiele (1890-1918)… From the numerous modern artists and photographers, I can mention Lucian Freud, a fashion photographer, George Hoyningen-Huene, Herb Ritts, Man Ray, Robert Mapplethorpe…

What have you gained by being on the internet?

I may not boast of the great profit from surfing on the internet, because ultimately the artists’ websites are not so popular, unlike the photographers’ websites.

Did the internet enable you to meet new models, to find new exhibit places?

The internet does not enable me to meet new models. Concerning new exhibit places: my personal experience is not very positive, if you mean not a space on the internet.

Has your work ever been censored? If so, how did you deal with it?

My art works have never been censored.

Could you tell us a few words about the place you live/work in?

I live and work in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Saint Petersburg is a five-million population city. This city is a fusion of the different cultures, because the Russian emperors invited architects from all over Europe: from Holland, France, Germany, England, Italy… Saint Petersburg was always under the influence of European Culture, more than other Russian cities, keeping in the same time the specific features of Russian life…

Close-up on…