The Language of Silence
— Alexei Butirskiy
Objects as Witness
Block 4
(the silence of things as a form of presence) - there is a special kind of silence that speaks louder than any word. It is the silence of objects left after us or before us. They remember our movements, our habits, our breath. They do not seek dialogue, but when met by our gaze, they begin to tell stories we thought we had forgotten. Objects in Butyrskiy’s work are anchors of memory: simple, recognizable, yet filled with such depth that we suddenly realize — they are us.
Shadows of Departure
Mixed Media | 14.5” x 11”
Suitcases by the window speak both of leaving and returning. Every departure carries an unfinished thought: the body is ready to move, but the heart is still caught in the warm air of the room. Outside the window — the shadow of a train that will carry someone far away, and inside — still light, which knows all your stories. This work is about the most fragile second of life: when we stand on the threshold between “here” and “there,” and do not know the exact moment we will cross it.
Worn by Time
Mixed Media | 19” x 15”
A chair with a shirt, shoes by its leg — nothing special, unless you listen closely. But the fabric still holds the warmth of a shoulder, and the shoes preserve the curve of a foot. This is memory that cannot be laundered away or wiped off by dust — it is absorbed into the form. There is no body here, but there is the trace of life stronger than presence. This scene speaks of the loyalty of things, of how they can hold us in our absence. It also speaks of how time not only erases, but leaves behind — precisely what was truly important.
Time and a Bottle
Oil on Canvas | 25.5” x 35.5”
A still life assembled like a spell against disappearance. Books to linger in; glasses to share an evening; a candle warming not only with light but with presence; an hourglass where time can be poured into the palm, not lost. The rain outside does not hurry, and its rhythm suggests: to rush is to lose the flavor. Here, time stops being an enemy and becomes a quiet companion. This painting is about the fact that life need not be chased — it can be collected, like drops of rain in a glass.
Alexei Butirskiy
Alexei Butirskiy Is a classically trained artist who studied at one of the world’s most prestigious art schools — the Russian Academy of Arts. His years of formal, academic training laid the foundation for his mastery, shaping him into a painter with a deep understanding of composition, light, and form.
In his work, Alexei blends the discipline of academic tradition with a philosophical view of the world. His paintings are never just depictions of cities or people — they’re visual reflections on
presence, on the quiet moments hidden inside the rhythm of modern life, on the kind of silence you can feel even in a city that never stops moving.
Landscapes & People