Gallery, 2016 – Archive of Oil Paintings
Explore Igor Shulman’s 2016 archive of original oil paintings. This year presents expressive figurative works, intimate nudes, thematic series, and animal-inspired compositions, reflecting the artist’s evolving mastery of realism and modern figurative expression.
2016 Archive of Original Oil Paintings
In 2016, Igor Shulman continued to explore themes of intimacy and human connection through his expressive figurative works. This year featured a series of animal-inspired compositions, showcasing his versatility and evolving artistic style.
Shop Available 2016 Oil Paintings
View available oil paintings in the catalogue
The Flutist
The Flutist draws you into a shadowy world of music and mystery. A solitary musician, their face obscured beneath a light grey fedora, holds a gleaming silver flute with delicate, focused hands. The composition is steeped in rich contrasts of light and dark, highlighting the intimate act of playing while cloaking the figure in expressive shadows.
The deeply textured background pulses with dark brushstrokes—almost scratch-like—tinged with hints of burgundy and deep purple, suggesting layers of emotion and movement beyond the visible. The artist’s use of impasto oil technique and bold chiaroscuro fosters a moody, contemplative atmosphere, where the music feels almost tangible through the strokes.
This painting captures not only the physicality of performance but also the emotional solitude and introspection of the artist. The anonymity of the flutist invites viewers to fold their own stories into the scene, while the focused light on the hands and flute celebrates creative expression as a quiet yet powerful force that transcends the mundane.
The Flutist is a tribute to the profound connection between artist and art—the silent beauty and emotional depth conveyed through music and gesture, framed within a haunting yet intimate visual experience.
The deeply textured background pulses with dark brushstrokes—almost scratch-like—tinged with hints of burgundy and deep purple, suggesting layers of emotion and movement beyond the visible. The artist’s use of impasto oil technique and bold chiaroscuro fosters a moody, contemplative atmosphere, where the music feels almost tangible through the strokes.
This painting captures not only the physicality of performance but also the emotional solitude and introspection of the artist. The anonymity of the flutist invites viewers to fold their own stories into the scene, while the focused light on the hands and flute celebrates creative expression as a quiet yet powerful force that transcends the mundane.
The Flutist is a tribute to the profound connection between artist and art—the silent beauty and emotional depth conveyed through music and gesture, framed within a haunting yet intimate visual experience.
Morning
Morning (2016) by Igor Shulman is an original oil painting that portrays an enigmatic winter scene set in a quiet city street. At its heart stand two figures—a man and a woman—whose presence feels both connected and yet emotionally distant. The man, in a long dark overcoat and fedora, is seen from behind, his posture withdrawn, suggesting pensiveness or solitude. The woman, in a similarly dark coat, is viewed in profile. She holds a leash, her face turned away, leaving her identity uncertain. Between them stands a small dog, its alert gaze and centered position adding subtle tension to the stillness.
The setting is defined by muted gray and cream tones, softened further by the snow that blankets the street. Buildings in the background recede into haze, their outlines blurred by diffused light. Tire tracks and footprints mark the snow, quiet traces of life that contrast with the emptiness of the scene. The overall palette—grays, muted blues, and earth tones—creates a subdued, atmospheric quality that draws the viewer into the silence of the moment.
Shulman’s technique leans toward Impressionism, with soft brushstrokes, minimal outlines, and blended forms. The figures are suggested rather than defined, heightening the sense of ambiguity and emotional resonance. This painterly approach shifts the focus from detail to atmosphere, emphasizing mood over narrative.
The painting conveys solitude, detachment, and unspoken reflection. The obscured faces allow projection, inviting the viewer to wonder about the characters’ inner lives. The dog, poised between them, may suggest connection—or its absence. Morning becomes less a literal city scene than a meditation on loneliness, fleeting encounters, and the quiet, private rhythms of urban life.
Last Kiss
This artwork is a part of Stations Collection
Last Kiss (2016), part of Igor Shulman’s Station Collection, presents a poignant contrast between fleeting intimacy and the stark environment of a train station. The painting’s focal point is a young couple sharing a passionate kiss. The man, clad in dark denim, leans protectively over the woman, his arms encircling her neck. His expression is hidden, yet his body language radiates urgency and tenderness. The woman, wearing a light beige coat, tilts her face upward in surrender to the moment. Both figures are partially obscured, their anonymity adding universality to the scene.
Behind them stretches the cold geometry of the station: a long white train wall marked by dark, reflective windows. The corridor floor is pale and almost sterile, interrupted by a diagonal shadow that heightens the sense of drama. A blurred figure near the train lingers like a witness, reminding us that this private moment unfolds in a public, indifferent space.
Shulman’s brushwork is expressive and textured, blending realism with abstraction. The figures are defined enough to convey emotion, yet softened by painterly strokes that dissolve into the muted grays, blues, and whites of the background. Light falls most strongly on the lovers, isolating them from the gloom of their surroundings.
The mood is at once passionate and melancholic. The kiss embodies desire and tenderness, yet the industrial setting suggests impermanence—love existing against, and perhaps despite, the harshness of reality. The train itself hints at departure, transition, or endings, reinforcing the title’s bittersweet implication. Last Kiss speaks to the fragility of human connection in a world of movement, change, and fleeting encounters.
Some archived artworks may be available as prints upon request. Learn more.