Stanislav “Stass” Shpanin, Hartford Art School

posted in: Noteworthy Alumni | 0

Painting the past means a bright future.

The Dichotomy of War (oil on canvas, 96" x 84"), 2011
The Dichotomy of War (oil on canvas, 96″ x 84″), 2011

By age 12, Stanislav “Stass” Shpanin was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “Youngest Professional Artist in the World.” While a University of Hartford student, his paintings were displayed in public and private collections, including those of President Heydar Aliev of Azerbaijan and former U.S. President George W. Bush.

Shpanin, who graduated in May 2012 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University’s Hartford Art School, added Fulbright Scholar to his impressive list of credentials. The highly prestigious U.S. Fulbright Student Award funded a 10-month, self-directed research project in Russia for Shpanin that began in September 2012.

The artwork he created during his fellowship focused on recapturing the history of pre–World War I Russia. Shpanin spent his time in Russia exploring archives, interviewing historians, and surrounding himself with the memories and events of pre–World War I imperialistic Europe.

“As a visual journalist, I wanted to show that history is not a distant patch of true facts but a living organism with human characteristics,” Shpanin says. “It is a study of human actions by other humans being constantly edited, added, and, in some tragic cases such as the Holocaust, deleted. Today, it is especially important to realize that we are responsible for not only present and future but all three dimensions of time.”

Shpanin was born in Baku, Azerbaijan (a former republic of the Soviet Union), and began studying and producing art at a very early age. By the time he was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2002, he had already exhibited in 10 solo shows throughout the world. He and his family moved to the United States in 2005. While enrolled at the University of Hartford, Shpanin has won numerous other awards and scholarships.

Now settled back in the United States, Shpanin is a graduate student at Tyler School of Art, Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa. His latest exhibition, Displacement, concluded a one-month showing in early September at Five Points Gallery, a contemporary art gallery in Torrington, Conn. Read more about Shpanin at shpanin.com.

Follow My Majors:

Have you have been asking yourself, "What should I major in?" Try our College Major Quiz, browse the largest list of college majors, or check out this great advice from industry professionals! Get Matched with the BEST School for YOU with MyMajors!

Leave a Reply