For a hot young Russian artist look no further than Oleg Turkin, the 45-year old former military helicopter pilot from Vladimir in Central Russia.  Oleg has his own unique style which is fast gathering a following internationally with his works included in collections of major museums and private portfolios in France, UK, Switzerland, USA, Germany, Ireland and Belgium as well as Russia.

Currently the second survey of his recent work to be held in the UK this year is on display at the Hay Hill Gallery on Mayfair’s Cork Street in central London until 29th May. The 24 large canvases  are typical of Oleg’s supremely honest and naïve work with openly figurative imagery reminiscent of Malevich’s deconstructed faces, Tatlin’s utopias and Roublev’s serenity.

The exhibition, titled ‘Pilots and Wives’ witness Oleg’s deep love of aviation and the relationship he forged with helicopters. Oleg rejected the strict academicism of conventional art education and threw himself headlong into working as an independent artist after being demobbed in the mid-80’s.

Although he had drawn before and during his military career he now turned to oil painting and within two months mastered the techniques of oil on canvas which remains his favourite medium. By the end of the 1980’s he had his first exhibition in France with his work standing alongside late-Soviet acclaimed artists Ilya Kabakov, Vladimir Yankilevsky and Vladimir Nemukhin.

He has retained his consistent personal style ever since, drawing inspiration from Orthodox icons which formed his lexicon of colour, steeped in sacred serenity and from the symbolism of mediaeval Russian painting. The result is a fundamental unity in his work, devoid of literal representation with individual features in his portraits indistinguishable and dissolving edges of silhouettes whether it is a crew heading to their helicopter  “Before the Flight” (2008, 100x110 cm, £9,000) or “Pilot’s Arms” (2009, 80x100 cm, £8,000).

With his credentials including participation in group art exhibitions in the British and Irish embassies in Moscow  and a growing following in London Oleg’s work is certain to appreciate in value.