Finogenova Mlada

Mlada Finogenova was born in 1941 in an artistic family in Moscow, her father was a famous Soviet painter Konstantin Finogenov and her mother - Vera Orlova. Mlada's childhood fell on difficult post-war times, though she always had her parents' and their friends-artists' examples before her to teach her determination and passion for art.

The artist had been actively involved in sports and at 11 she already had the first category in figure skating. Nevertheless, she decided to dedicate her life to arts and entered Moscow Secondary Art School. However, the echo of her sports past came to find its reflection in her future series of graphic artworks devoted to sports. After Moscow Secondary Art School Mlada Finogenova entered Moscow State Institute named after V.I. Surikov, from which she graduated in 1965 under the guidance of the acknowledged Soviet graphic artist and teacher — professor Е. А. Kibrik. She dedicated her diploma work, which consisted of five compositions, to sports as well. The artist speaks warmly about her institute years and the summer practice which was an essential part of her education. When studying in her first year Mlada married Vyacheslav Stekolschikov, but being part of an artistic family she decided to keep her last name. In winter they already started planning where to go in summer to do sketches. While "austere style" was in fashion at the time, Mlada Finogenova preferred to paint Russian province, mountain rivers or lush vegetation, and they found appropriate places for their trips.

Mlada Finogenova with her husband and their son, Anton Stekolschikov, have travelled all around Russia admiring the beauty of its different corners and collecting material for work. The last chord was a trip to the Commander Islands located on the border of the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea. It was there that the artist realized that she had a longing for the landscapes of central Russia which she painted very often afterwards. One of the most meaningful places for Mlada and her family was their house in Borisogleb. They came across it by accident during one of their trips: a large log house faced the wall of the Borisogleb monastery and stood on a freshly mowed green lawn. Mlada and her husband fell in love with it at first sight, and very soon the house became their workshop and residence for many years to come.

Since 1969 Mlada Finogenova has been a member of the USSR Union of Artists and since 1985 she has been taking part in Moscow, republican, all-Russian and foreign exhibitions. Mlada Finogenova is a diploma winner of the USSR Ministry of Culture (1971), of the Central Committee of All-Union Leninist Young Communist League (1972, 1975), and in 1999 she was awarded the title of the Honored Artist of the Russian Federation. In 2010 the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Arts awarded the artist with "Shuvalov" medal and in 2011 with the diploma and the medal of the Moscow Union of Artists "In recognition of the achievements in developing art" ; in 2013 — the diploma and medal named after N.P.Krymov from Moscow Union of Artists and in 2015 — the diploma and gold medal named after V.I.Surikov from the Russia Union of Artists "For outstanding contribution into Russian Art".

Since 2011 Mlada Finogenova has been a member-correspondent of the Russian Academy of Arts.

Many of her artworks are property of the USSR Union of Artists, RSFSR Ministry of Culture, they are presented at museums, galleries and private collections both in Russia and abroad.