Miinerals, scientific aesthetic mineral drawings

Site of the Project

"Mineral Drawings"

Victor Slyotov was born in Moscow, Russia, and from early childhood showed a strong interest in mineralogy. He joined geological youth clubs while growing up and studied mineralogy at the geological college at Moscow State University. Graduated from the Faculty of Geology, Moscow State University. His first drawings of mineral specimens were shown in the annual Moscow exhibition "Beautiful World of Stone". He has also shown his artwork at exhibitions held in the Fersman Mineralogical Muzeum in Moscow (February 2001 to October 2002), the Vernadskiy State Geology Muzeum (April 2003), and the Russian Academy of Art(June 2004). Some of his drawings have also been published in his scientific articles. And he was the recipient of the 2004 "Philanthrop Award," given in recognition of "novelty and originality in art."

Victor's mineral collection, which he has been building for more than 30 years, numbers nearly 2000 specimens and reflects his scientific and aesthetic interests, centering on the morphology and ontogeny of crystals. Almost all of his drawings are of specimens from his own collection.

In 2000 Victor met Vladimir Makarenko, and introduced him to the concepts of mineralogy and mineral art. Vladimir was born in Klin city, a suburb of Moscow, Russia in 1979. In 1996 he graduated from college with a degree in graphic design, then took courses for two years at the Tver College of Art, specializing in Batique printing. He participated in numerous exhibits at the Tver College and in Moscow, where he took prizes and received his diploma. Under Viktor's influence, he took on a new goal: to create artworks that show the mineral world in all its beauty. Since that time Victor Slyotov and Vladimir Makarenko have been working together on numerous mineralogical artworks, as well as working independently on others (captions to the artworks shown here specify who was involved in the creation of each one). They have also collaborated on the Ontogeny of Minerals in Drawings publishing project, now in its third volume. The drawings and paintings they present combine a scholarly structural and genetic approach to minerals with the fine-art feeling of beauty encountered in individual specimens and crystal aggregates, reviving the best mineralogical traditions of the past by portraying both scientific and artistic elements of the mineral world.

Famous Russian writer Foydor Dostoevsky once said a sentence, which became a Motto for Many
intelligent people all over the world: “The Beauty will save the World!” It is evident that authors
of these mineral drawing follows shares the Dostoevsky's opinion and persistently proves it.
Being a professional mineralogist and a gifted artist, Victor Slyotov together with young artist Vladimir Makarenko reveals us the beauty of
mineral world through them deep understanding of internal life of minerals. They dissolves boundaries
between science and art: The “heroes” of these drawings are perfectly shaped, and, on the other hand,
they are beautiful, like movie stars. These drawings may be equally used for scientific analysis
and for interior decoration.

About Authors

M.N. Maleev and N.V.Skorobogatova at Viktor A. Slyotov home and look at him collection.and albums.

М.Н. Малеев и Н.В. Скоробогатова знакомятся с содержанием альбомов "Рисуя Минепалы"

Viktor Slyotov and his first poetic book.

В. Слётов осознаёт новое в своей жизни событие - выход первого авторского сборника стихов.

Viktor A. Slyotov (left) with his teacher Yuri M. Dymkov At the presentation of the issue I "Mineral Drawings" at the Fersman Mineralogical Museum. Moscow, 2002.

В. А. Слётов (слева) и его учитель Ю. М. Дымков.

Vladimir Makarenko on his first exhibition of batic.

Владимир Макаренко на первой выставке своих батиков.

At the presentation of the issue I of "Drawing Minerals". Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Moscow. 2002

На презентации первого выпуска альбома "Рисуя минералы" 28февраля 2002 г.в минералогическом музее им. А.Е. Ферсмана

Vladimir Makarenko on his first exhibition of batic.

Владимир Макаренко на первой выставке своих батиков.

At the presentation of the issue I of "Drawing Minerals". Viktor A. Slyotov (left) with his teacher Yuri M. Dymkov.

В. А. Слётов (слева) и его учитель Ю. М. Дымков. Фото: Р. В. Галиулин.

At the presentation of the issue I of "Drawing Minerals". Viktor A. Slyotov

В. А. Слётов. Фото: Р. В. Галиулин.

В.А. Слётов и В.В. Морошкин в Кадамджае, Ю. Киргизия. Вдали - Ферганская долина.

В.А. Слётов и В.В. Морошкин в Кадамджае, Ю. Киргизия.

At the presentation of the issue I of "Drawing Minerals". Margarita I. Novgorodova Dr. Sci. (Geology and Mineralogy), Director of the Fersman Mineralogical Museum, RAS

Директор минералогического музея РАН им. А. Е. Ферсмана проф. М.И. Новгородова выступает на презентации первого выпуска альбома "Рисуя минералы" 28 февраля 2002 г. Фото: Р.В. Галиулин.

At the presentation of the issue I of "Drawing Minerals".

На презентации первого выпуска альбома "Рисуя минералы" 28 февраля 2002 г. Фото: Р.В. Галиулин

At the presentation of the issue I of "Drawing Minerals".

На презентации первого выпуска альбома "Рисуя минералы" 28 февраля 2002 г. Фото: Р.В. Галиулин

At the presentation of the issue I of "Drawing Minerals".

На презентации, выставка рисунков в минералогическом музее им. А.Е. Ферсмана. Фото: В. Макаренко, 2002 г.

Б.Б. Шкурский (РГГРУ), 2005г.

Известный кардиохирург и коллекционер современного искусства проф. М.М. Алшибая. Фото: В. Слётов. 1990-е гг.

Marie and Terry Huizing at Viktor A. Slyotov home and look at him collection.

М. Лейбов (слева), Мари и Терри Хайциг (США) смотрят коллекцию, 2003 г.

Marie and Terry Huizing at Viktor A. Slyotov home.

Мари и Терри Хайциг смотрят коллекцию минералов и альбомы. Фото: В. Слётов. 2003г.

Макс Глас, редактор журнала ExtraLapis, художник и дизайнер, с приобретённым им рисунком расщеплённого пирита В. Слётова и В. Макаренко на Мюнхен-шоу-2002. Фото: Л.А. Егорова(Чешко)

Хайдаркан, знаменитое ртутно-плавиково-сурьмяное м-ие с уникальными карстовыми пещерами. В.Слётов, фото: Т. М. Павлова.

Виктор Слётов (справа в телогрейке) с однокурсниками наутро после празднования своего 18-ти летия в Русавкинском карьре, Подмосковье.

В. Слётов разбирает кварцевый занорыш с валентинитом и сервантитом. Кадамджай, Ю. Киргизия.

В. Слётов (справа) с однокурсниками на вершине г. Димерджи во время первой Крымской геологической практики.

Фоторепортаж А.Евсеева о презентации нового сборника стихов В.Слётова и III выпуска альбома "Рисуя Минералы" в клубе друзей минералогии в Минералогическом музее РАН им. А.Е. Ферсмана 10. 03. 2006 г.