My personal acquaintance with Vladimir Andreenkov happened in Moscow. At first, seeing his work, I was amazed at the order - the powerful geometric designs struck power color harmony and rhythms. Certainly, for me, a citizen of Switzerland, a country where constructivism has found fertile ground and received an excellent development, these works were extremely interesting. Until then, I have always had the impression that constructivism in Russia has not found its followers, as they say, "did not" stick "it seemed that everything remains in the distant 20-30-ies. Confirms this - the lamentable state of the beautiful, in terms of architecture, constructivist buildings. Each time they passed them, I involuntarily shudder from Unexplained "forgotten" and "unclaimed" these helpless and neglected, but still nice cubes.

So for me a great artist constructivist. Initially reticent and somewhat morose, which seemed to me, is always busy so that builds in my head a certain geometry and tries it on the sound. More of our conversation, I learned that in the early 70-ies the famous Swiss artist constructivist Richard Vine, being at that time in Moscow, was a guest of Vladimir Andreenkov. As is usual in Russia, they were sitting in the kitchen, talked, then went to the studio - to see the work of Vladimir. Richard Lohse view thumbnails, and Vladimir genuinely surprised at how well he does. Oh, how they understood each other, these two artists! It all seemed so easy, and there were no boundaries, and the friendship that arose in those days, will remain forever ...

But everything in life was much more complicated. There were limits, and two different social systems. As it is not easy for Soviet citizens, it was difficult to communicate with foreigners, usually followed, and their Russian friends could have very serious trouble for such contacts. There was a bottomless chasm between people who are on opposite sides of the border. But here, people lived, worked, though, almost semi-underground - many artists were not even dreamed about exhibitions in the country, and even more so in the West.

Gone are the days, came the new - something he felt better, something more difficult. And so there was destiny that now live in the work of these two remarkable artists in Zurich in the neighborhood. A pity that Richard Lohse did not live up to these days.

I am sincerely grateful to all who worked on this project, and I hope that this edition will bring the true joy of acquaintance with the works of Vladimir Andreenkov.