Lahaina’s Vladimir Kush Gallery

Sadly, Vladimir Kush’s Fine Art Gallery in Lahaina, Maui has burnt down. The artist has released a statement:

“At this time, we are grateful for the safety of our staff, and we extend our deepest condolences to all the families who have lost their loved ones and their homes. Maui has been my home for many years, and I am heartbroken to see the tragedies which have unfolded in these past few days. I know every little corner of Lahaina and consider it almost my hometown. I am grateful for the countless messages of support and best wishes from all our collectors and friends.”

Mr. Kush has pioneered a genre of art he calls “Metaphorical Realism,” which is when art both undermines literal realism and elevates metaphor.

His innovative work has always inspired me. I was fortunate enough to see his art in person at his gallery in Lahaina, Maui back in November 2019, and first came across his creations back in the early 2000s. I was blown away by the power of his use of metaphor, as expressed in the following painting:

_{Moonlight Sonata}

It’s a clear use of metaphor and also makes use of the audience’s (the audience seeing the painting, not the one IN the painting) understanding of art and its elevating/evolutionary capability. We see this metaphor played out in the painted crowd as an audience of chrysalis, awaiting their next phase of metamorphosis. That the piano player is playing an instrument of beauty that symbolizes their very next evolutionary progression is a fairly original, and some might say ‘genius,’ artistic idea. And let’s be real, the execution is solid as a rock.

In honor of the work of Vladimir Kush, please enjoy this archive of some of his best work, and here’s a link to his Instagram:

https://instagram.com/kushfineart?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==