Contemporary Fresco Artist Biography

                      iLia Fresco (Anossov) – artist, fresco painter.

iLia Fresco Anossov by Gill Ortiz

iLia Anossov (fresco), by Gil Ortiz

Contemporary fresco artist iLia Anossov (fresco) is one of the few artists in the world who are the masters of the art of fresco painting and sgraffito. His fresco and sgraffito work includes paintings, installations, objects, sculptures and his signature fresco “stacks” and iconography.

iLia is widely exhibited in the United States, Europe, Russia and Japan including 7 museum exhibitions and over 50 solo and group exhibitions. Commissions include large-scale fresco, sgraffito installations and murals in private homes and public spaces. His Fresco & Sgraffito projects appear internationally on the covers of premier magazines including Architectural Digest, House & Garden, Elle Decor, Vogue and others.

iLia’s creative mind and artistic excellence has been in high demand for prestigious events and productions. One of his most notable commissions was the design and creation of the interior décor of the 76th Annual Academy Awards® Governor’s Ball. Over 27,000 sq. feet was hand painted in t”rompe l’oeil frescoes”. iLia’s work has graced such events as the 73rd Academy Awards® Governor’s Ball, 9th Annual SAG Awards Governor’s Ball, 50th Annual Emmy Awards, 11th Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards and many others.

iLia Anossov was born in Moscow in 1966, attended official art schools and explored various media including cinematography, architecture and visual arts. He believes his true education came through years-long classic apprenticeships to master artists, in Russia and the U.S. between 1983 and 1996. Since 1996 Anossov lives and works in Los Angeles.

Anossov has established a “Nationwide Fresco Painting Workshop Program”, a systematic tutorial on the technique of fresco painting. He operates the only year-around Fresco School in the country. iLia explains, “I arrived from Russia for a one-man exhibition at Springfield Museum of Art in 1992. I was amazed by the fact that Fresco was considered a lost art and was not represented in the contemporary art world since Diego Rivera. There was no school, not even a source of consistent information to guide artists in their exploration of the medium. Ever since then, the dream to see fresco being painted in every town has consumed me.

I realized that to achieve this goal I had to create a new school of fresco detached from the form, style, fashion and other preconceptions about the art of fresco. This school would take fresco down from the ceiling and bring it into the artist’s studio as a pure medium used by all humans since the beginning of civilization and before.” In 1996 iLia put his exhibition career on hiatus, moved to Los Angeles and founded the Fresco School (www.frescoschool.org).

iLia’s research, study and practice of the medium through his large scale fresco installations and studio work, together with over 20 years of teaching all levels of students from university professors to street graffiti writers resulted in a consistent system of the foundational principles of the medium of fresco. iLia Anossov is the author of the 5 volume, Buon Fresco Foundations DVD Tutorials.

Currently he is working on over 4900 sq. ft. fresco iconography cycle – Project Mexico Fresco at Saint Innocent Orphanage, Space Fresco Project, fresco installations and portable frescoes. He is a CoEd Faculty at Otis College of Art and Design and teaches workshops at the Fresco School and The Getty Institute in Los Angeles.

iLia Fresco – Selected Works PDF

Museum Exhibits

  • 2019 – “6 Years in the Making” – Sasse Museum of Art, CA
  • 2017 – “Distinct Perspectives: from Eastern Europe” – Inland Empire Museum of Art, California
  • 2015 – “Art from California’s Inland Empire & Beyond” – Inland Empire Museum of Art, California
  • 1994 – “Cultural Center Opens” – Museum of Integral Art, The Ark Project (Terranova Art Foundation) Watermill (Southampton), New York
  • 1993 – “Second Collection” – Tretiacov Gallery State Museum & “Literary Gazette”, Moscow. Catalog
  • 1992 – “One Person Show” – Springfield Museum of Art, Springfield, Ohio
  • 1992 – “One Person Show” – Kalinin Museum, Moscow
  • 1992 – “Non for Profit Project” – Kalinin Museum, Moscow. Catalog
  • 1991 – “Three Man Show” – “Octiabrskaia 25” Exhibition Hall, Moscow
  • 1991 – “Ilia Anossov – Recent Paintings” CMSA (Central Museum of the Soviet Army) and Author Gallery, Moscow, Russia
  • 1991 – “Non Commercial Exhibitions I” – “Author” Gallery & Kalinin Museum, Moscow
  • 1991 – “Non Commercial Exhibitions II” – “Author” Gallery & Kalinin Museum, Moscow Color Catalog “Second Exhibition”

Selected Projects

  • 2024 – ongoing – Project Mexico Fresco, Tijuana Mexico
  • 2024 – ongoing – Above The Clouds Icon Studio, Lake Arrowhead, CA
  • 2024 – 3rd Restoration of David Hockney’s Swimming Pool Mural at Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, LA, CA
  • 2023 – Concept Design for Rosarito Orthodox Church, Rosarito Baja, MX
  • 2023 – Canaan Builders Fresco, Kailua Oahu, Hawaii
  • 2021-22 – Series of Buon Frescoes and Sgraffito for private clients (featured in AD Italy, Vogue).
  • 2020 – Restoration of Ramona Bowl Fresco by Milford Zornes, Hemet CA
  • 2017 – Start of Project Mexico Iconography Fresco Project – Sinopia, Tijuana Mexico
  • 2016 – The Tacony LAB Fresco Project MAP. Philadelphia Pennsylvania
  • 2016 – St. Basil Orthodox Church, Hampton VA
  • 2016 – Fresco School OnLine Apprentice (FSOA) Program
  • 2015 – Ioana Belcea’s Seton High School Fresco Project, Manassas Virginia
  • 2014 – 2nd Restoration of David Hockney’s Swimming Pool Mural at Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, LA, CA
  • 2014 – Fresco Painting – Past and Present, Otis College of Art and Design (Faculty), LA CA
  • 2013 – Introduction to Fresco program for The Getty Villa, Getty Institute, LA CA
  • 2012 – Space Fresco Project, Los Angeles, CA and Worldwide
  • 2012 – House of Angels Fresco Project, Cohoes, NY
  • 2012/2013 – Ruby D Monument and Mural Program, Cleveland OH
  • 2010/2013 – Bob Hope Patriotic Hall Mural Project, Los Angeles, CA
  • 2012 – Amalfi Fresco, Beverly Hills, California
  • 2011/2012 – French Fresco, Beverly Hills California
  • 2010 – Byzantine Fresco, Hollywood California
  • 2010 – Restoration of Steve McQueen historic mural, Los Angeles, CA
  • 2009 – Malibu Fresco, Malibu California
  • 2007 – Restoration of David Hockney’s Swimming Pool Mural at Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, LA, CA
  • 2006 – Mural for Augustus Tower of Caesars Palace, Las Vegas Nevada
  • 2005 – Restoration of secco fresco murals in Historic Park Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles CA
  • 2004 – 76th. Annual Academy Awards, Governors Ball, Los Angeles, CA
  • 2004 – Dolphin Fresco – Marina Del Rey, California
  • 2001 – 73rd. Annual Academy Awards, Los Angeles, CA
  • 1999 – Albuquerque Fresco, Albuquerque, NM
  • 1998 – 50th Annual Emmy Awards, Los Angeles, CA
  • 1998 – Nickelodeon 11th Annual Kids Choice Awards, Los Angeles, CA
  • 1998 – 70th Academy Awards, Governors Ball, Los Angeles, CA

Selected Gallery Exhibitions

  • 2012 – “Urban Legends” – Estria Foundation, CA
  • 2010 – “Fresco Show” – 8905 Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
  • 2000 – “Fresco Cartoon” – Modern Fresco Gallery, Fresco School, Los Angeles, CA
  • 1999 – “Modern Fresco” – Modern Fresco Gallery, Fresco School, Los Angeles, CA
  • 1998 – “The Rice & Beans Show” – Sick Puppies Productions, Los Angeles, CA
  • 1997 – “Fresco & Sculpture” – Auburn Companies, Brentwood, CA
  • 1997 – “True Fresco” – Chamber of Commerce, Santa Monica, CA
  • 1996 – “True Fresco” – Pacheco’s Salon, Santa Monica, CA
  • 1996 – “Figurative Manifestations” – Wainscot Gallery, Wainscot, New York
  • 1995 – “Fresco and Watercolor” – Art’s Anonymous, Watermill, NY
  • 1995 – “Silent Auction” – Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
  • 1995 – “Madness” – Art League “Truth” Gallery, Broadway, NY, NY
  • 1995 – “Group Show” – Art League “Truth” Gallery, Broadway, NY, NY
  • 1994 – “Group Show” – Art League “Truth” & CB/GB club, NY, NY
  • 1994 – “John Ed Benefit” – Art League “Truth” & Clayton Patersen Gallery, New York, NY
  • 1993 – “Group Show” – Art League “Truth” Gallery, Broadway, NY, NY
  • 1993 – “New York Times – the cultural monopoly” Carla Stellweg Gallery and Art League “Truth”. Special guest Hilton Kramer. Broadway, New York, New York
  • 1992 – “Group Show” – Summatin Tidenavetta Gallery, Helsinki,
  • 1991 – Kraski Rossii (Colors of Russia)” – one man show – “CDO” (Central Officers House) and Author Gallery, Moscow, Russia
  • 1990 – Juried Show – “Arbat 25” Gallery Moscow, Russia
  • 1990 – “Art Expo” – Art Expo Gallery Moscow, Russia – Tokyo, Japan
  • 1990 – “Expo 90” – “Vistavca Dostizenii Narodnogo Hosiaistva” Moscow, Russia (Diploma)
  • 1990 – “Presentation” (solo show) – “Author” Gallery & “CDO” (Central Officers House) Moscow, Russia
  • 1989 – “Second Exhibition” – Gallery “Author”, Moscow
  • 1989 – “February” (Group Show) – Hotel “National” Gallery Moscow, Russia
  • 1989 – “Group Show” “Kino” – Gallery Moscow, Russia
  • 1989 – “March Group Show” – “Mars” Gallery Moscow, Russia
  • 1989 – “Colors of the Spring” – “Expocenter” Armand Hammer Center, Moscow, Russia
  • 1989 – “Art Auction” – Architect Union Head Building Moscow, Russia

Monographs

Bibliography

  • #GettyInspired
  • Wish Magazine, USA
  • Belle, Australia
  • Mari Claire Maison, France
  • Getty Iris – Fresco, The Eternal Medium
  • House & Garden Magazine, UK
  • Huffington Post
  • Architectural Digest, Italy
  • Architectural Digest, France
  • Architectural Digest, USA
  • Architectural Digest, Germany
  • C Magazine
  • Artisphere Magazine
  • Los Angeles Times
  • People Magazine
  • Wall Street Journal
  • Hollywood Life Magazine
  • Pasadena Weekly
  • Downtown News
  • Argonaut
  • Santa Monica Mirror
  • Dans Papers
  • Southampton Press
  • Easthampton Star
  • Easthampton Independent
  • Springfield News-Sun

Education (Selected Schools)

  • 1992 — 1996 – Mihai Popa Studio, School of Integral Art (NY) – integral art, sculpture, fresco
  • 1984 — 1988 – Vladimir Ovchinnicov Studio (Moscow) – watercolor, oils, fresco
  • 1982 — 1984 – Igor Groshev Studio (Moscow) – egg tempera (palekh school), fresco