Nikolai Makarov
Biography
Nikolai Makarov (b. 1952, Moscow) is a Russian-born artist whose paintings are suffused with mystery and stillness. Makarov moved with his family to East Berlin in the 1970s, studying history at Humboldt University before pursuing art at the Academy of Arts in East Germany. Originally self taught, Makarov, under the influence of Austrian painter Rudolf Hausner, shifted his practice towards acrylics.Trained in the traditions of European Old Masters, Makarov has innovated his own elaborate process with acrylic paint and airbrush techniques. Now living and working in Berlin, Makarov has become known for his depictions of nudes, ballerinas, and atmospheric landscapes, surrounded by a diffused, luminous blur.
Outside of his practice, Makarov is currently director of the art association StilLeben e.V. in Berlin, and President of the Sergej Mawrizki Foundation as of 2000. His works have been displayed in museums and galleries worldwide, and famous collectors of his work include Richard Gere, Pierce Brosnan, and Tim Allen.