Rustam Khamdamov Soviet/Uzbekistan, b.1944
Portrait of a Young Man Smoking, c.1995

£500

Pencil on paper
31cm x 22cm (50cm x 40cm in mount), unframed

Rustam Khamdamov is a singular figure in world cinema and fine arts. Born in 1944 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, his work is defined by a lush, avant-garde aesthetic that often clashed with the rigid expectations of the Soviet film industry. He is widely considered a "film poet," whose visual language leans more toward surrealism and fashion illustration than traditional narrative. Khamdamov is a also celebrated artist. His artwork is held in prestigious collections, including the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow and the Zimmerli Art Museum in the United States.