The Story of Ivan Loginov

Ivan Loginov was born on February 26, 1994, in Abakan, the capital of the Republic of Khakassia in southern Siberia. He spent his childhood in the village of Shira, at the home of his grandparents, surrounded by pine forests, steppe winds, and long winters. It was there that his interest in art first revealed itself: at the age of four, he was already copying Shishkin’s landscapes from family albums with such confidence that his parents decided their child needed a professional mentor.

In 1998, the family returned to Abakan, where Ivan began his formal art education. In 2000, he entered the preparatory department of the D.I. Karatanov Children’s Art School, where he quickly distinguished himself with his passion for classical art. There, the young artist studied painting, ceramics, and sculpture, combining a striving for classical form with a vivid, intuitive sense of color and composition.

From 2004 to 2008, he studied at the main course of the art school, regularly participating in plein airs and exhibitions, where his works were consistently praised by juries.

The year 2006 proved pivotal for the young artist: his first trip to Moscow and his encounter with the Tretyakov Gallery profoundly reshaped his artistic worldview. What had once been a successful pursuit became an inseparable part of his identity. “I looked at Vrubel’s Demon Seated, and the paint seemed to breathe. Such painting can whisper and shout at the same time. In that moment, I realized: painting is my language, without it I cannot speak to the world.”

From an early age, Loginov was recognized as one of the strongest students. He was awarded the Medal of the Academy of Arts “For Academic Excellence” and took part in plein airs across Russia and abroad—from Siberia and Moscow to Germany, Spain, and Italy.

Between 2013 and 2019, he studied at the I.E. Repin Institute of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture, where he was three times awarded the Presidential Scholarship of the Russian Federation.

In 2015, he completed a project for a major collector in China. The success of this work immediately elevated his reputation in the Chinese art market, and since then, Loginov has been regularly invited to the country for exhibitions and masterclasses.

From 2019 to 2021, Loginov undertook an assistantship under V.S. Pesikov, a renowned master of the older generation of the academic school, People’s Artist of Russia, and full member of the Russian Academy of Arts. Together they taught senior students. The master once noted: “Ivan explains the complex plasticity of academic painting as effortlessly as Richard Feynman explains quantum mechanics. Loginov is the Feynman of painting!”

Loginov’s pedagogical talent was also affirmed during his debut international masterclass in 2019. He instantly gained recognition as one of the leading teachers of the academic school worldwide, and his calendar quickly filled with international invitations.

His diploma work—Alarm Bell (2019)—received the highest distinction from the Academy’s board. The creation of this large-scale canvas was documented by Noir Films in the film Monologue, which became an important chronicle of Loginov’s artistic formation. The film was screened and awarded at several international festivals.

In 2020, Time Magazine commissioned Loginov to create a portrait for its international cover, making him one of the rare Russian artists to appear on its front page. This marked a milestone in his international career and confirmed his global stature. Today, the portrait is part of the collection of the National Portrait Gallery in New York, USA.

In 2021, Loginov completed his assistantship at the Russian Academy of Arts with an exhibition in the Italian Hall. His series of portraits received the highest acclaim from the commission and leading art critics. His defense was scheduled as the closing presentation—a gesture of respect traditionally reserved for the strongest graduates.

In 2022, he realized a large-scale exhibition project in collaboration with the State Russian Museum and the Peterhof State Museum-Reserve dedicated to Peter the Great. The exhibition on the Field of Mars became a major cultural event and was warmly received by critics and peers alike.

In 2023, Loginov headlined the exhibition A Tone Lighter (St. Petersburg, reception hall of D.A. Medvedev), featuring leading masters of pastel portraiture. The artist has long been associated with the “Russian Sause” technique and is its leading global ambassador. It was thanks to his works that collectors in Europe and the United States discovered this medium. Following the success of his first pieces, Loginov was invited to teach masterclasses in Portugal (2019), and today he is regarded as one of the foremost experts in the technique.

In 2024, his first solo exhibition in China took place. Several of Ivan's works were acquired for the private collection of Shanghai's most prominent collectors and for the private collection of renowned art dealer Xu Chao, who added Loginov's works to his famous collection of Russian masters: Feshin, Repin, Shishkin, and Mylnikov. The opening of the exhibition was timed to celebrate a grand 10-day workshop by Ivan and the opening of the official courses at the Repin Academy of Arts. More than 30 of the greatest masters of the Chinese school of classical painting, such as Wang Tieniu (王铁牛), attended this master class.

In 2025, Loginov was shortlisted for the prestigious international competition Mod Portrait, where his work received high praise from the jury and sparked wide professional resonance. The project was awarded an honorary prize and presented at leading art venues in Barcelona and Madrid.

In the fall of 2025, Ivan Loginov held a grand solo exhibition at the State Complex “Palace of Congresses” in St. Petersburg (Konstantinovsky Palace and the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation). Ivan received a commission for a ceremonial portrait for the President's permanent collection.

Today, Ivan Loginov works in his studio in the historic center of Saint Petersburg. His painting represents a contemporary form of “strict realism,” where the academic school provides the foundation for a subtle, deeply personal perspective on the human figure. Each canvas is a synthesis of tradition and relevance, without stylistic compromise—a painting in which classical heritage resonates with modern meaning.

Regular workshops from Barcelona to Beijing and a cover for The New York Times attest to the universality of his artistic language. Each of Loginov’s paintings is an invitation to pause and perceive not only the sitter’s outward appearance but also the inner state, captured in subtle gestures and nuances.

“For me, it is important that the viewer feels the breath and unique character of a living model—even when the canvas depicts an allegory or a historical subject.” — Ivan Loginov

Loginov regards painting as a point of contact between the viewer and the true depth of the image. His manner unites academic precision and personal intonation, exploring humanity through light, space, and silent emotion. This is painting in which the classics sound contemporary, accessible to the most discerning audiences worldwide.