People's artist of the USSR (1986). Monumentalizing portraits of working people ("the coke production I. N. Arakelov", 1961), psychologically expressive images of cultural figures ("the Writer V. P. Astafiev", 1969, "the Actor E. Z. Kopelyan", 1973).
People's artist of the USSR (1986), one of the leading artists of the Urals, bright master of Russian realistic art of the second half. The XX century. Awarded the order "badge of honor"(1981) and "Peter the Great", the diploma of the Academy of arts(1979), medals and diplomas of the Ministry of culture of the USSR and the RSFSR, the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR(1973).
He was elected a delegate to four congresses of the Union of artists of the USSR and RSFSR(1963-1985); for many years he was a member of the Union of artists of the RSFSR (1973); was part of the zonal exhibition Committee "Ural socialist"; more than 30 years he headed the artistic Council of the Perm organization of the art Fund of the RSFSR.
Works Shirokov are stored more than 15 museums in Russia, including in the main Treasury of the national art - the State Tretyakov gallery. There are his works in private collections in Russia and abroad.
The name Shirokova, especially in 1960-1980-ies, was shrouded in legends, was one of the most striking artistic symbols Perm. His work with impatience waited, they have always been engaged response from the audience, artists, art historians. He had his regular viewers, many loyal fans.
In Perm Shirokov was the first artist who used his position and work was able to make the authorities and society seriously speak about the visual arts. Among the Perm artists it has the largest number of publications in the national press, not to mention local and regional.
Eugene N. have students: since 1993 he is a Professor of the painting Department of the faculty of arts of the Perm state Institute of arts and culture. Were held for five editions.
Shirokov is an Honorary citizen of Perm (1998) and the Perm oblast (1999). It is fair to say that Shirokov happy creative destiny.
Eugene N. was born in 1931 in the town of Kasli, Chelyabinsk region, twelve-year-old began working at the world famous plant of art casting. Early labor growing up developed the ability to understand life and people, communicating well with the art instilled viewing it as a daily, compulsory labour, convincingly demonstrated that beauty comes from the efforts of the working hand. Study in the Sverdlovsk art College and then at the Leningrad higher art-industrial school im. Mukhina gave the necessary skills and knowledge, approved of the correctness of intended a way. A place of life and work Shirokov was elected Perm (1958). The path of independent creativity was through the assimilation of professional schools, experience the traditions, skills of working with nature. Its evolution is seen not so much in developing as in the disclosure of talent, the disclosure of identity in itself, an internal finding yourself.
The time in his paintings the artist reflected and widely, and versatile, with many UPS and revelations, misconceptions and silence. In the artistic heritage of the author of monumental paintings (not preserved), easel works of all genres: portraits-types, monumental portraits - paintings, a cycle of paintings of the Leninist theme, a series of paintings on the theme of the great Patriotic war, landscapes (always of the Urals), still lifes. But their own word, he said it was in portrait. Portrait concept Shirokov has developed under the influence of ideas and artistic language the so-called "severe style", one of the most notable directions of art searches of the beginning of the "Khrushchev thaw", actively oppose their creativity officious phenomena of art. Among its leaders is the largest of the Moscow artists of the sixties: N. I. Andronov, V. I. Ivanov, P. F. Nikonov, T. Salakhov, etc. They have actively engaged in the search for a modern hero, claimed simplicity and masculinity.
Brightness social sense of self of the individual, the value of public-creativity, adoption of the high ethics of professional work will identify the main nerve and portrait compositions Shirokov. For some time it becomes the leading type of the monumental portrait. It is characterized by large size, generalized brushwork, wide color plans. The nature of painting, bringing the image of the "natural" coordinates, enlarge it, gave symbolic meaning. The images became a symbol of a large-scale achievements of the time.
Portraits of intellectuals at first in Perm, and later Sverdlovsk, Moscow, Leningrad determine the major milestones of creative destiny Shirokov. Among the models Shirokov - known personalities, leaders of his time who determined the modern development of the art. The same can be said about the Perm cultural figures. Portrait series created by Shirokov, includes images of D. Kabalevsky, G. A. Tovstonogov, Copelan E. Z., E. A. Lebedev, A. A. Mironov, K. Y. Lavrov, V. A. Tikhonov, Yu. a. Drunina, A. Kapler, N. V. Pavlova, Y. V. Nikulin and M. Shuydin I., I. M. Smoktunovsky, E. I. gudina, L. the sun; from the Permian of culture - E. V. Heidenreich, T. E. Kovalenko, M. V. Tarasova, L. I. Mosolova, M. B. Podkina, V. Radkevich, L. P. Sakharova, E. A. Panfilova.
The first big successes was a portrait of the famous composer, promoter of music and public figure D. Kabalevsky and, especially, a portrait of V. P. Astafyev, then living in Perm and involved in the correction of proofs of the novel "Shepherd and shepherdess". Doing this and portrayed him Shirokov. Portrait Astafieva became for the author a certain threshold, a generalization of all previous experience, gaining new quality. Image Astafieva at Shirokovskaya interpretation is perceived as the symbol came to active movement awakened forces of modernity. The portrait was immediately acquired the collection of the Tretyakov gallery. With these portraits Shirokov was included in the domestic arts. Portrait images of famous cultural figures who dedicated their labors and the days of E. N. Shirokov - evidence of interest of the author to the problems of the search of the man himself, his place in the spiritual life of society. One of the most popular theme variety of portrait almost a decade will be the portrait-a meditation. Think E. Kopelyan and G. Tovstonogov, Y. Drunina, and A. Kapler, T. Kovalenko, and L. Chursina. But that's not the heroes think to the artist, and the artist interrogates the heroes to sophisticated, the essence of the world.
Interesting the change in time and intonations, and pathos of these works. In the 1960-ies of the portrait images appear in the media transforms the dynamic forces that necessarily entails the presence of smart sympathetic spectator, involved in co-creation. There's a world of courageous and energetic. 1970-ies distinguished rationalism, detachment of thinking from living reality. Is created not so much a specific, unique person, much thought about it. In the 1980s, the age of change in the public mood shows "self Portrait" (1983). To replace strong-willed discipline works 1960-1970-ies came relaxation, reflection and anxiety. It's a way of calm history, its fatigue.
A special place in the work of Shirokova is a portrait-a picture "the Ballad about the artist. E. Goodin" (1876). I. E. Goodin - classmate Shirokov at the Sverdlovsk art school, a famous Ural landscape painter, participant of the great Patriotic war. The image created Shirokov with a multitude of associations. Worker, warrior and Creator, a descendant of Khabarova and Bering, reliable successor of the best traditions of the Russian landscape, especially one of them - the desire for truth. He embodies a special spiritual warehouse and type of people included in the national history under the name of wanderer. Wanderers are distinguished by that freedom of the spirit, which is given only to those who are not too consumed by a thirst for earthly profit. They easily take the weight, but in the name of life higher.
Stranichka soul gudina square consciousness of the fulfillment of the mission, the joyous feeling of co-creation with the world. Created Shirokov image is image-plastic opening of the author.
Already in the time of perestroika, on the ground of his hopeful rise, Shirokov creates a kind of altar Spiritually-the historical centre of the 40 portraits of figures of national history, science and culture, which we look at the great faces of Russia: Andrei Rublev, Alexander Nevsky, M. V. Lomonosov, A. S. Pushkin, S. A. Esenin, Zhukov, Gagarin and many others.
Wonderful exact words about the work of Shirokova found well-known critic and writer V. Y. Kurbatov: "History of Russian art is no longer conceivable without the contribution of E. N. Shirokova, where each individual word may not be loud, but where all together - a speech in which there is nothing vague and uncertain, where everything IS inseparable".
Shirokova creativity can testify of the past to those who will come after us. Apart from the purely aesthetic and plastic qualities, his works contain a thrilling human document, an imprint of the personality of their Creator, living a hard and active. And it is a great and honorable gift is not to prevent his time and to keep up with him, and to go with him, not deviating from his worries. This gift of nature has endowed E. N. Shirokova fully.
