ONE HUNDRED PORTRAITS OF GENNADIY AYGI

The creative collaboration between Nikolai Dronnikov and Gennadiy Aygi, which spanned almost two decades, has resulted in a rich legacy of books, albums, and hundreds of portraits 1 .The artist's drawings and paintings were occasionally inspired by the poet's verses; however, more frequently they emerged from the vibrant impressions created through his interactions with Aygi, who captivated the artist with his distinctiveness.Dronnikov's character was also perpetually fascinating and attractive to the poet due to its inherent freedom and talent.Most of the portraits of Aygi, who resided in Moscow, were created in Paris, a city he began visiting regularly starting from 1988.The so-called 'hundred portraits', as Dronnikov referred to them, signify not merely a numerical count but rather the diversity and his unending fascination with the poet's character.