Abstract art

Ellsworth Kelly was an American artist and sculptor, an outstanding figure in post-war abstract art. His paintings with large abstract figures, bold and contrasting combinations of colours, influenced the development of Minimalism, colour field painting and hard-edge painting.

Kenneth Noland was an American artist, a bright representative of Colour field painting. He created an alternative to abstract expressionism and action painting, practising strict abstraction, the absence of an object and a subject in art, bright colours evenly applied to the surface of the canvas. Following American artist Helen Frankenthaler, Kenneth Noland began to use acrylic paints, which made it possible to create a thin and saturated coating, eliminating the appearance of random spots and smudges on the canvas surface.

A German artist, one of the most famous and expensive contemporary painters. Gerhard Richter showed his talent in several styles of fine art. His photorealistic portraits with blurry contours are exhibited at the most famous museums in the world, and abstract canvases are sold at auctions for a lot of money.Starting his career in East Germany, the artist worked in a realistic style; however, having become acquainted with the works of contemporary artists Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol, he sharply changed his painting towards avant-garde art. A few months before the fall of the Berlin Wall, he fled to West Berlin, where he started to search for his place in art. Based on photographs and products of popular culture, Richter created a vivid style, which included both realistic and completely abstract expression.In addition to painting, Gerhard Richter is known as the author of several major design projects. In 2007, he created the famous "Pixel Stained Glass" in Cologne Cathedral, which got the most controversial reviews. Instead of traditional biblical scenes, the artist created an impressive mosaic of multi-coloured glass, which consists of 11 thousand 250 coloured squares of eighty shades. It is interesting that the artist performed the work as a gift to the cathedral, without taking a dime for his painstaking labour.

Mykhailo Fedorovich Andriienko-Nechytaylo was a Ukrainian artist and avant-garde stage designer. The central part of his artistic career was in France, where he was a representative of the Paris School of Fine Arts.Together with Kovzhun and Musyka, he organized the Association of Ukrainian Artists and helped young fellow artists who immigrated to France. Five paintings by Andrienko-Nechitailo, which appeared in the Lviv Art Museum, where the exhibitions of this association were held, were destroyed in 1952 as “formalist” and “without value”.Along with Alexander Arkhipenko, Mykhailo Andriienko managed to mirror the various directions of avant-garde painting of the 20th century in his multifaceted work. His solo exhibitions, except for a few in Paris, were successfully held in Rome, Berlin, Geneva, Amsterdam, and Chicago.A series of works by Mykhailo Andriienko in the style of neo-realism under the general title "Disappearing Paris" is of historical value as an art document of the capital of France.In the field of theatrical scenery, the works of Andriienko-Nechytailo occupy one of the first places in contemporary European art. The master proposed not only a great art form but also introduced a new understanding of the stage space in the chamber theater.Andriienko was a man of high culture and a multi-talented person. He fruitfully worked as an art critic and writer. Specialists characterize his stories and psychological novels as examples of highly artistic prose. His critical articles on art and aesthetic observations were published in the emigrant magazines Renaissance, New Life, and in the Munich Ukrainian journal “Suchasnist”.Being in the center of European cultural life, Andrienko luckily avoided imitations, having developed an original creative manner. The Ukrainian artist was one of the outstanding masters of the fine art of the XX century. His paintings and graphic works are in museums in Paris, New York, London, Rome, at the National Museum in Lviv (Ukraine), in numerous private collections.

An American artist and theorist, the central figure of the avant-garde of the 60s, the discoverer of the happening - a form of art in which the primary attention is paid to the process of creation. Allan Kaprow appreciated the moment of action in painting, putting it above the result.The fleeting, often quick and spontaneous actions of Kaprow erase the line between art and everyday life and immerse participants in the work, involving them in the creative process and destroying the notorious “fourth wall” between the work and the audience.In his theoretical writings, Allan Kaprow said that after the discoveries of Jackson Pollock and other Abstract Expressionists, painting could no longer exist in its original form. It must go beyond the canvas and move into everyday life.The master called himself “non-artist” and his works “anti-paintings”. “Life is much more interesting than art”, said Kaprow and created events outside galleries and museums: in courtyards, apartments, streets, squares and parking lots. Sometimes his works are even absurd - such as building houses from ice under the scorching California sun; they change the very perception of art and turn everyday life processes into creative acts.The principles of the creation of happening, which Allan Kaprow outlined in his work “How to Make a Happening”, were enthusiastically accepted by many post-war artists who tried to take a fresh look at modern creative methods. Thanks to the discoveries of the American innovator, such styles as installation, performance and conceptual art were further developed.

A Swiss sculptor and lithographer, artist and graphic artist, collector of archaic and ancient works of art, a prominent representative of the avant-garde in his country and Europe. The artist spent more than a decade in Paris, became a member of a Surrealist group organized and headed by Andre Breton. The latter included one of Serge Brignoni's lithographs in the famous illustrated book “Surrealism in 1947”.The artist as a representative of the Paris School was a participant in the Venice Biennale and prestigious international exhibitions of surreal art in England and America. His contribution to the development of avant-garde art in Switzerland is considerable.Close to Surrealism at the artistic and intellectual level, Serge Brignoni used complex metamorphoses of the image of the world. Veins and branches, eyes and viscera, sea creatures and endless cosmic landscapes, spaces and figures, animated by floral fragments, show his attention to nature. A wide range of methods he used to create works of art - sculpture, collage, engraving, painting and drawing - gives S. Brignoni’s works the status of “analog biology”.In 1985, the Swiss artist donated his most valuable and vast collection of art from Oceania and Indonesia to Lugano - in this city, the Museum of Non-European Cultures “Villa Heleneum” was opened four years later.

An outstanding world-famous Romanian sculptor, who made most of his creative career in France. He is one of the main founding artists of the abstract sculpting style and the brightest representative of the Paris school.Konstantin Brancusi, who was famous in avant-garde art of the 20th century, led the sculpture to revolutionary simplification of forms. This was not a simple exercise in plastic design but a real interpretation of the rhythm of the modern life. At the same time, the master, who worked in stone, bronze and wood, showed the highest technical skill. Through the emphasized formality and the apparent poverty of a shape, he revealed the inner beauty of the materials he used, freeing it from superficial manifestations. The proof that the art of Brancusi was not just empty abstraction but was filled with high content is the extraordinary popularity of his works during the life of the master and now. The pioneer of abstract sculpture was widely known in Europe, America, and also thanks to his admirer and follower I. Noguchi in Japan; but he never forgot his roots. The sculptor received large orders from Romania, including for park memorials.The artist’s legacy is also in demand in the 21st century. Despite the fact that the author frequently copied his sculptures, they are estimated at tens of millions of euros or dollars in the modern art market.Since its opening, the Georges Pompidou Center in Paris has a separate room with sculptures by Constantine Brancusi - the author bequeathed his works to the French people.

A famous English sculptor, one of the most prominent people in the art of Great Britain of the 20th century. Barbara Hepworth worked in those times when female artists, especially sculptors, were rare. Along with her contemporaries Ben Nicholson and Henry Moore, she considerably influenced the development of British art in general and abstract sculpture.Hepworth’s favourite materials were wood and stone, from which she created biomorphic abstract compositions using the cutting technique. The artist developed the principle of "hollow form" and for the first time created a through sculpture, which is widely used by many sculptors of our time. Hepworth coordinated her extraordinary and mysterious images with the surrounding space and gave them a resemblance to natural forms and lines. The sculptor’s work is characterized by a special rhythm characteristic of the laws of nature itself.Together with her husband Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth was the leader of the St. Ives Artists' Colony, where she lived from the beginning of World War II until her death. She was also one of the founders of the Unit One art movement, whose participants were avant-garde artists and sculptors, and which managed to combine Surrealism and Abstractionism in British art.

A famous American artist and sculptor, whose works adorn squares of the cities of the USA, Europe and Latin America. A son and grandson of sculptors, Alexander Calder, was educated as an engineer and applied his knowledge in the field of sculpture, which allowed him to create a completely original, innovative approach to this kind of art.Calder became known worldwide as the inventor of "wire sculpture". Having abandoned the traditional heavy materials - clay, gypsum and bronze, he created airy designs in which the shape of the object is depicted very simplistically and schematically. His wire figurines resemble a pencil drawing in space and amaze you with their laconicism and elegance of execution.Another invention of the sculptor is the so-called "mobiles" – those are dynamic constructions that are driven by the force of the wind, the laws of gravity and in some cases by an electric motor. These works are completely abstract and small in size, in contrast to the more stable and monumental "stables" of the sculptor, which perfectly complement the urban landscape. One of the most famous and large-scale creations of Alexander Calder is his work "Man", located in the center of Montreal.

An outstanding Polish artist, sculptor and reformer of tapestry art. The textile sculptural forms of abakans were named after the artist. Large coarse-grained works were striking in their appearance, reminding the viewer organic repeatedly enlarged structures. The world art community highly appreciated the novelty of technology and plot ideas by Abakanowicz in the first half of the 1960s, having awarded the artist the main awards of the international biennale.The significant freedom that provided Polish artists with the opportunity to travel to western countries contributed to the development of Magdalena’s unique talent. She has been to Paris and Venice, Munich and New York, participated in art events outside the Eastern Bloc and received “injections” of other art, very different in form from the socialist realism adopted in Poland.Abakanowicz always emphasized the metaphorical nature of her works with names, since all her works are the result of thoughts “about the circumstances that form various human conditions”, a reflection of her personal life with her history of fears and suffering.Art critic D. Vrublevskaya determined, “M. Abakanowicz’s art is based on biology. But she is a creator; therefore, she explores a person through a form and uses instinct in her research.” The relentless ingenuity of Abakanowicz is determined by her creative credo, “I do not like principles and rules. These are enemies of fantasy. ”The artist was awarded many prestigious awards; her works adorn cities of Europe, Japan, the USA, Israel, and South Korea - she gave lectures and masterclasses in many of these countries.

The most famous and significant English sculptor of the post-war period, one of the founders of modernist British sculpture. Moore significantly influenced the gradual transformation of British sculpture from provincial to avant-garde, which not only corresponded to European concepts of modern art, but also introduced its themes and means of plastic expression.Moore became world-famous thanks to his sculptures designed for open space, which are installed in many large cities around the world. These works, depicting mainly semi-abstract human figures, impress you with the harmony of their forms and musicality of smooth, winding lines. They reveal the eternal themes of the beauty of nature and the attractiveness of the female body, the spiritual closeness of a man and a woman, the selfless love of a mother for her child - all that makes our world more beautiful.The sculptor preferred to cut his works from a whole piece of wood or stone, and began to use plaster and bronze casting only in the late period of his career. In addition to sculpture, Moore is known as a wonderful draftsman. His most significant works were impressive images of London citizens hiding in subway stations during Nazi bombings.

An Italian artist associated with the second generation of futurism. Luigi Colombo signed his work with the pseudonym Phillia, using his mother's maiden name for this. From an early age, he was interested in theatre and achieved certain successes in this, but later became interested in Futurism and devoted himself to the fine art. The artist was a co-author of several manifestos of Futurism and wrote many art studies that reveal the essence and features of modern art.In Turin, where Phillia mostly worked and lived, he organized a futuristic society, thereby making an important contribution to the development of this art movement in the region. He made several long trips to Paris, where he came into contact with the most influential avant-garde masters. Among his colleagues, Colombo stood out for his extreme activity in the field of art. He always remained at the center of cultural events, both Italian and foreign, organized various events, was the editor of several periodicals.The artist’s style gradually evolved from sharp futuristic works to abstract canvases with smoother lines and organic colours. In mature works, Phillia studied the subjective inner world of a person, his subconscious and psychological aspects.

A Spanish (Catalan) painter and sculptor, whose work had a huge impact on the entire generation of modern artists. Joan Miro's paintings are the earliest surrealistic works. They served as the basis for the further formation and development of the style that is extremely popular to this day.Joan Miro tried his hand in various modernist and avant-garde styles of European painting, but never stopped on one of them completely, constantly improving and enriching his artistic method, experimenting with different painting techniques and methods. The result of these experiments was his painting style based on surrealism. This is what allowed the artist to rethink the basic principles of fine art in accordance with his original vision of the surrounding reality.The unique world of Joan Miró is full of unique images and symbols. They are presented in the form of pure plastic signs located in an empty space; they are not completely abstract but rather resemble naive art or drawings of children. Miro’s paintings consist of geometric, right or wrong figures, a dance of twisting lines and small details that have mystical meaning and create an indescribable atmosphere of each work.

An English avant-garde artist, an active participant in the non-durable but radical movement “Vorticism” that appeared in London just before the First World War.Edward Wadsworth not only signed the Manifesto of the new association, but also created graphic compositions for Blast magazine, working closely with its chief editor, Wyndham Lewis. Having placed the magazine “Explosion” in Wadsworth’s hand in his canvas “Vorticists in the restaurant de la Tour Eiffel: Spring, 1915”, his colleague W. Roberts emphasized his significant role in the group. This was fundamentally important in the 1960s, when interest in the movement became more intense.The artist traveled a lot and contributed to the further development of the British avant-garde, introducing ideas of Surrealism into it. He was a member of such significant creative associations as the Paris group Abstraction-Création.

An Italian artist, an outstanding representative of the second wave of Futurism in painting, one of the first Surrealists in his country. Enrico Prampolini was an unusually gifted man who showed his talent in many branches of art. His contemporaries knew him as a theater set designer and designer, as well as an architect who created several fundamental works. Together with Gerardo Dottori, the artist worked in the style of aerial painting, creating works based on the feeling of flight, the features of the air perspective and speed.Prampolini was one of the authors of the Manifesto of Mechanical Art, which proclaimed the dominance of machines in the world of the future and the close connection of new technologies with painting. The artist believed that contemporary art should be based on the use of mechanical elements from the world of industry. In his works, he praised the coherence and rhythm inherent in the work of mechanisms.The painter’s art developed in close contact with the avant-garde movements of Europe. Prampolini knew Paris Cubists, and also took an active part in the work of the German Bauhaus movement. Being a supporter of the abstract geometric construction of the composition, which is characteristic of Italian Futurism, Prampolini gradually moved to a complete abstraction, including elements of surrealism.

An English innovative artist, painter and graphic artist, a book illustrator. Jessica Dismorr was one of two women who became active members of the Vorticist movement and signed their Manifesto in 1914. Dismorr's fame is based on her status as an artist - a prominent representative of the early British avant-garde.Beginning as a Fauvist, Jessica worked a lot as a co-editor of the Blast magazine, which was aggressive towards Academism; in that magazine, she published her artwork, prose and poetry. Later, she created a recognizable form of geometric abstraction, which required not only talent, but also courage.Art historian H. Wilensky commented on her role as “the courage to overcome discrimination against female artists in England” and emphasized the importance of her work as “the most typical for artistic experiments of the time”. Due to the claims of W. Lewis (“this is what I personally did and said in a certain period”), it is not surprising that Dismorr was almost invisible in the history of modernism for quite a long time. However, a research conducted in the 1960s and an ongoing research, as well as major exhibitions, pay tribute to this artist and the second Vorticist, Helena Saunders.

An Italian Futurist artist, decorator and master of murals. The name Gerardo Dottori is inextricably connected with the historical region of Umbria, where he was born and lived most of his life and where most of his paintings are kept. In Perugia, his hometown, he founded the avant-garde art magazine Griffa, which carried out the task of spreading the ideas of Futurism in the region.The artist signed the “Aerial Painting Manifesto” in 1929 and became one of the leaders of this movement chanting speed, height and the feeling of flight. His most famous works are original images of Italian landscapes, often viewed from a great height. Bright, saturated shades of emerald and blue, which the artist used in his works, as well as fantastic landscapes, became the hallmark of the master.Dottori called himself a "rural futurist”. He never admired the roar of machines, urban bustle and noise. The artist preferred the calmness and contemplation of the hinterland where the time has a completely different speed, and nature and people do not change for centuries. For a long time, the artist’s work was among the little-known outside his homeland; however, in recent decades, the interest of Art Nouveau connoisseurs in bright and original works of Gerardo Dottori increased significantly.

A Russian avant-garde artist, painter and graphic artist, a stage designer, who worked in Paris for many years. In the history of Russian art, the name of N.S. Goncharova is closely associated with the name of M. Larionov: they worked together for 60 years, first in Russia, then in Paris. Unusually talented creators, collaborating, helped one another to establish their individuality.The artist called the Amazon of the avant-garde, a member of the Jack of Diamonds and Blue Horseman groups, a Futurist and Cubist painter, was a bold innovator in painting, a brilliant decorator that till now impresses art lovers with a rare variety of her great artistic talent.The so-called «Russian style» never existed in professional fine art before Goncharova's «Rooster». Inheriting the traditions of lubok art and using folk ideas about religion, the folklore of Egypt and her favourite Scythia, she, undoubtedly, combined all into a single harmonious style.

A Russian artist, an illegitimate son of famous landscape painter-wanderer Alexei Savrasov. Alexey Morgunov was at the center of the creative events and artistic ideas of the Russian avant-garde in the first two and a half decades of the 20th century, but subsequently completely abandoned it.The artist was an active member and exhibitor of the Moscow Association of Artists, Youth Union, Jack of Diamonds, became a participant in such landmark exhibitions as Tram V, Shop (Petrograd), Moscow Salon, and The World of Art, Fifth State Exhibition of Paintings in Moscow, etc.Morgunov was a close friend of Malevich. Together they invented different shocking events for Futurists. He was a regular at Kracht's salon of intellectuals; was fond of the theories of M. Larionov and N. Goncharova, working both in neo-primitivistic and cubo-futuristic manners. In terms of style of his early and late creative periods, he was the closest to French Fauvism.As a professor of painting, he taught at the State Free Workshops and was a member of the Objective Analysis group at the Institute of Artistic Culture. In the last decade of his creative career, moving away from the avant-garde, he created thematic paintings that are close to the style and meet the spirit of socialist realism.

A Ukrainian artist and poet, publisher, critic, who worked in Russia, Japan and America. One of the founders of the Russian and Ukrainian avant-garde traditionally referred to as the "father of Russian Futurism".He was an initiator of revolutionary ideas, which united many famous people (Lentulov and Exter, Bogomazov and Palmov, poets Mayakovsky and Kamensky, Kruchyonykh and Khlebnikov, Aseev and Guro), as well as the creator of the group "Gilea" - the first literary and artistic union of the Futurists. He was a member and organizer of innovative groups “Stefanos Wreath”, “Jack of Diamonds”, a member of the Moscow Youth Union and the Munich Blue Horseman.The master was the first in Bashkortostan to create images of the indigenous population, the first to transfer avant-garde to the land of Japan.The artist’s museum was created in Brooklyn (New York, the USA); the American International Zaumi Academy annually presents the prize “International Mark of D. Burliuk".

The most famous Chilean artist, sculptor and architect, the leader of Latin American modernist art. Roberto Matta worked in the style of surrealism and was a close friend and associate of Salvador Dali, with whom they were united by the idea of ​​unconscious painting and a free flow of creativity without the intervention of intelligence or any system.The artist’s art is truly international. Born in Chile and living in almost all the capitals of Europe, as well as in the USA, Matta combined a wide variety of art styles in his work. He was never limited to one style, manner and materials, being an innovative artist, not tired of doing experiments. His unique style had a significant impact on the development of such a popular art movement as Abstract Expressionism.The most famous among the artist’s paintings are his surrealistic canvases from the Psychological Morphology series, which demonstrate an artificial reality filled with metaphors and symbolic figures. In the 1940s, Matta was distracted from studying subconscious and turning to social topics. In a series of works entitled Social Morphologies, he depicted complex mechanical objects and distorted human forms, symbolizing the injustices and horrors of the war.

Arshile Gorky (his real name was Vostanik Manoug Adoian) was an American artist of Armenian descent, an outstanding artist of the USA of the twentieth century. He was a vivid representative of Surrealism and one of the founders of Abstract Expressionism, a movement that affirmed the independence and uniqueness of American fine art in the world.Vostanik Manoug Adoian decided to change his name after immigrating to the United States, where he began a completely new life, leaving behind extreme poverty and deprivation. The greatest shock for the artist was the demise of his mother, who died of hunger in his arms in 1919. The influence of this event is noticeable in many works of the artist, especially in the portraits of his mother, the variations of which he created throughout his career.The life of Arshile Gorky, which ended in suicide, was full of tragedy, and his personality is surrounded by a halo of mystery and secrets. The artist himself preferred to distort the facts of his biography, creating various myths about his origin, childhood and student years. These incredible inventions, however, could not overshadow his outstanding achievements in painting. The work of Arshile Gorky is a unique phenomenon that is difficult to characterize as a manifestation of one of the existing styles. It is a transitional stage between classical painting and avant-garde and had a significant impact on the development of modern painting in the United States.

An American artist and sculptor, a significant figure of modern painting and sculpture, one of the most commercially successful artists of the 20th century. Jasper Johns expressed the idea that art can be understood and close to each person, and not just for particular connoisseurs.Having abandoned the principles of Abstract Expressionism, misty and distant from people, he used generally known things, symbols of a certain phenomenon, ideas or just everyday habits in his paintings. His most famous picture of this style is “The American flag” – a recognizable and familiar to everyone national symbol, which the artist turned into a colourful painting.The name of Jasper Johns is often remembered together with another painter, his close friend and colleague Robert Rauschenberg. After Johns met him, his style significantly changed, and his ideas were realized in original and truly innovative works.The artist’s use of simple objects, for example, beer cans, which he made as a work of art, makes his work related to a conceptual approach to fine art. With his creations, the artist deliberately violated the boundaries between art and everyday life; this marked the beginning of the pop art movement that was extremely popular in the USA in the second half of the 20th century.The artist currently lives in Connecticut and is considered the most expensive of the living painters.

An innovative Czech artist, photographer, graphic artist and theater decorator, poet and art theorist, the brightest figure of European Surrealism of the 20th century. Jindrich Styrsky is also considered a representative of the Paris school of painting, since he lived and worked in France for a considerable time.The student of the Prague Academy of Arts was a part of Czech artistic bohemia and national avant-garde associations during its development between the two world wars - first in the Devestil group, then in the Manes group, and later in the surrealist community, one of the founders of which J. Styrsky became in 1934. In addition, the artist stood at the origins of the emergence of avant-garde photographic art and new scenography in Prague - he ran the Free Theater of the Czech capital.In the 1930s, Styrsky was the editor of the private magazine “The Erotic Revue” with illustrations from many famous Czech artists. The artist supplemented each issue with his collages. Among the most important surrealistic works is “Emily Comes to Me in a Dream”, which was published accompanied by erotic photomontages by the author and psychoanalytic interpretation of B. Brook. It greatly accelerated the overcoming of taboos and censorship of the bourgeois culture of that time.Jindrich Styrsky is a very peculiar, and, therefore, is not just a readable artist of Czech interwar art. His works are approved by modern European avant-garde classics and are presented in the most visited museums and galleries of the Czech Republic.

A Ukrainian artist of Jewish origin, who lived and worked in Russia for a long time. He was a portrait master, graphic illustrator, sculptor and theatre artist. The prominent avant-garde artist was a founding member of Russian cubism, a member of such significant creative groups as The World of Art and The Union of Youth, one of the founders of the Jewish Society for the Promotion of Arts. He was awarded the title of Honored Artist of Russia in 1968.

A German representative of avant-garde, a prominent artist, sculptor, master of monumental painting, as well as a choreographer, theater designer and art theorist. For about 10 years he worked at the famous Bauhaus school of art and industry (Bauhaus, Weimar), developing the training course “Der Mensch” (Man), which was based on the synthesis of the techniques of several artistic disciplines and different styles. Oscar Schlemmer made a significant contribution to the art of scenography, creating design and choreography for several operas and ballets. The artist’s paintings were included in the list of “degenerative”; he was forbidden to paint and work as a teacher at art schools.

A Russian painter and graphic artist, one of the first students of Pavel Filonov and a talented follower of the method of analytical art. Pavel Kondratiev was a member of a circle of young artists, musicians and writers who collaborated with Isaiah Braudo, Maria Yudina, and Tatyana Glebova. He was a close friend of Alice Poret and for some time lived in her house, where a creative atmosphere reigned and meetings of people of art took place. The artist also became a regular character of several verses of famous poet Daniil Kharms and maintained friendly relations with him.The artist was famous not only for his numerous paintings and graphic works but also as an art theorist and a talented teacher. In the post-war period, a kind of “Kondratyev's circle” supporting his creative ideas formed around him. The painter collaborated with Vladimir Sterligov and together with him used the so-called "surplus element" in painting - a curved line that formed the basis of the famous "cup-dome" system.Kondratiev’s work is a kind of synthesis of several areas of the Russian avant-garde. He possessed a special talent to feel the pulse of his era and to combine seemingly incompatible styles and trends in his works. The works of Pavel Kondratiev are a unique fusion of scientific theories and the deep spirituality inherent in the real Artist.

A Russian painter and graphic artist of German-Jewish origin, master of the monumental genre (in particular, the mosaic), film artist, art theorist, talented art history teacher, poet and writer.Pavel Zaltsman can be hardly called a consistent successor of the ideas of analytical art, but as a student of P.N. Filonov he brought his ideas to the artistic environment of Kazakhstan, where he lived for more than 40 years and became an Honored Artist (1962).According to specialists, Zaltsman was a paradoxical figure: having no formal art education, he became one of the most profound and virtuosic masters of the 20th century. Repeatedly standing on the verge of death, he almost miraculously survived and again turned to creative activity. Not being an illustrator, but possessing a “literary” type of thinking, he left a legacy that is considered impeccable material for illustration.The phenomenon lies in the family education, inherited talents, and in communication with P. Filonov from the age of 17, who not only instilled taste in him and taught him to paint, but also taught to always be faithful to his vocation.Steadfastly enduring the difficulties of survival in conditions of extreme poverty, hunger, besieged life, lack of housing, chronic lack of money, despite the certain recognition in the 1970s, the artist remained a thinker and philosopher.Zaltsman's works are in the collections of the Russian Museum, his graphics are presented in the permanent exhibition of the Tretyakov Gallery on Krymsky Val, the State Museum of Art of Kazakhstan, in many private collections.

A Russian artist, theorist of art, as well as a musician and composer, who wrote the futuristic opera «Victory Over the Sun». Mikhail Matyushin, as one of bright leaders of the the Russian avant-garde, actively developing in the first half of the 20th century, studied the interconnection between colors and shapes. His research and conclusions resulted in the unique handbook "Pattern of variability of color combinations", reprinted even today. The treatise was supplemented with tables, representing color harmonization for the first time in visual arts. It is based on the principle of coupling color, discovered by Matyushin and his associates.The artist, who was a close friend of futuristic groups, together with his wife, artist and poet E. Guro, organized the publishing house “Crane”, thanks to which books by Kruchenykh, Burliuk, Khlebnikov, Mayakovsky and others were published. The intensive research work of the author of the theory of “extended viewing” was inextricably connected with his teaching experience – M. Matyushin had many students and followers at his workshop of spatial realism, in the group "Zoreved" and later at the Petrograd department of organic culture of the State Art Institute.The Museum of the St. Petersburg avant-garde works in the house of Matyushin and Guro in St. Petersburg; it has a large permanent exposition, including works by Pavel Filonov, Kazimir Malevich and Vladimir Tatlin. Some paintings by Mikhail Matyushin are kept at the Russian Museum, the Tretyakov Gallery, the Moscow Museum of Organic Culture, and at the Museum in Amsterdam.

A Czech artist, a painter, lithographer, graphic artist, book illustration master. Maria Cherminova, the brightest and most significant representative of poeticism and surrealism in the Czech Republic, took the pseudonym Toyen at an early age. Its origins can be interpreted as from the French “Citoyen” - a citizen, and from the Czech phrase, meaning, “this is he”. In both cases, the new name did not give her gender identity. Maria, who tried to break down stereotypes, became a cult figure both in the Czech Republic and in Paris, where she was supported, in particular, by Andre Breton, a leading figure of Surrealism.Toyen was an original and self-sufficient creator. She perceived Surrealism as a driving force of imagination, as well as of the social and political progress. The artist became one of the organisers of the Surrealistic community in Prague. Many of her paintings from the second half of the 1930s also had strong political and anti-war meaning.Hostile to bourgeois conformism, Toyen challenged values ​​based on totalitarianism. The artist left Prague after the Nazi occupation considering the communist regime imposed on the country unacceptable for the creator.In Paris, she participated in the activities of the surrealist group of A. Breton. Although the life and work of Toyen made a great contribution to the development of feminist art, she herself never entered into discussions, did not speak openly about feminism or about her sexual orientation. Nevertheless, experts consider her a pioneer of free female art.

A German artist, designer, writer and theorist of art, a talented teacher who worked in America for a long time. The name of Josef Alberts is inextricably connected with the Bauhaus Higher Art School in Weimar, which was known for its avant-garde orientation. A former student of this institution, Albers worked there as a teacher, created a new art glass studio, and later became the deputy director of the school.In the USA, where the artist emigrated after the Bauhaus was disbanded by the Nazi authorities, he continued his teaching activities and played an important role in spreading the aesthetics of constructivism, cubism and abstract art among American artists. His work served as a kind of bridge between European avant-garde trends and the new modern art of America.Albers was best known for his series of works “Homage to the Square”, which includes geometric abstract paintings and lithographs that are distinguished by exceptionally subtle chromatic harmony. Almost all the paintings in the series consist of several squares that are inside each other and painted in muted harmonious colours. Creating his work, the artist carefully thought out every detail, the most delicate shades of colour and the effect of the use of certain combinations.In 1963, the artist developed the theory of colour pigments, which he outlined in his book “Interaction of Colour”.

A painter, graphic artist, illustrator, theater designer and the creator of the school of primitive art in the village of Hlebine. Together with his associates, Krsto Hegedusic founded an independent artistic group called Earth in 1929. This group fought for social justice and equality in society, for which it was persecuted by the state. The artist often visited the village of Hlebine, where he spent his childhood; in 1930, he began to teach painting to talented local peasants Ivan Generalich and Franjo Mraz. This was the beginning of the famous Hlebine school of naive art, which glorified the work of Croatian primitive artists around the whole world.

Ivan Vasilievich Kliun (born Klyonkov) was a russian avant-garde artist, art theorist, a brilliant representative of several recent art movements, including Suprematism - a special branch of Russian Abstractionism of the first half of the 20th century.A companion and friend, as well as a follower of K. Malewicz, who remained in his shadow and even was unjustly considered the “avant-garde of the second row”, was one of the most original masters in both Cubo-Futurism and Suprematism. His best works, no doubt related to the geometric abstractions of the author of the Black Square, are freer in painting, rich in the play of light and shadow, whimsical in terms of irrationalism of forms, sometimes brought by the author to a super-impressive minimum.These qualities attracted connoisseur and collector George Kostaki, thanks to whom the master's works were preserved and became known later. Traveling to Greece, Kostaki was forced to donate a part of his personal collection to his country; thus, the work of Kliun ended up at the Tretyakov Gallery and other main collections of the USSR.Ivan Kliun was an active participant in the cultural life of the “futuristic” capitals of Russia, an exhibitor of all significant avant-garde exhibitions, a founding member of the Moscow Salon and Supremus associations, an author of several theoretical treatises, a member of the later group Four Arts.

An English and American artist, theorist, author of several art history books. Born into the family of famous artists, Gordon Onslow Ford soon showed his talent in art; despite the fact that his parents chose for him the profession of a naval officer, he managed to become one of the main representatives of Surrealism in Europe and the USA.The artist created unique canvases based on his extraordinary vision of the world, which he himself called “inner realism”. The main aim of Ford’s life and art was the reinterpretation of reality and the ability to “see the world again” in accordance with his consciousness, and not with generally accepted norms. The artist's paintings, which are an interweaving of sinuous lines and a cluster of complex organic forms, separated by luminous spaces, create the impression of amazing and colorful visions. Their multi-layered patterns attract with their decorative, optimistic and spiritual depth, originating in the psychological teachings of Carl Jung, Zen Buddhism and his own metaphysical and aesthetic theories.The artist is famous for not only his paintings, but also for his scientific works that had a great influence on the development of contemporary US art. To support artists who appeal to the subconscious in their work, Onslow Ford founded the non-profit organization Lucid Art Foundation, which still exists.

A Czech painter, graphic artist, illustrator, who became one of the most striking, original and significant representatives of early European Surrealism, and later, in the period after the Second World War, was a master of abstract landscape painting.Josef Sima is equally referred to the Paris School of Surrealism, since he worked in France long time (around 50 years). At the same time, the artist always kept in touch with the Czech artistic community and was a member of art groups in his homeland.After receiving a special and versatile education at the Prague High Technical School and the Academy of Fine Arts of the Czech capital, J.Sima became one of the founders of the Czech art group «Devestil»; after moving to Paris he participated in the activity of the Surrealist group «Grand Jeu» and became a co-founder and designer of a magazine with the same name.The artist entered the history of the fine art as a talented illustrator of frequently reprinted collections of Czech and French poets, whom he kept in touch with.Josef Sima became an important figure in modern European art, was awarded the title of the Officer of the Legion of Honor. The largest collection of his paintings is at the Paris Georges Pompidou Center and at the gallery of the Szech city of Brno. The artist's works are highly valued at art auctions in Europe.

A Polish avant-garde artist of Jewish origin, who worked in France for most of his life and became a full-fledged representative of the Paris school of painting. The artist’s works are in the collections of the National Museum of Modern Art of Paris (Center J. Pompidou), the prestigious London Tate Modern Gallery and the Museum du Petit Palais (Geneva, Switzerland), the Art Gallery of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia) and other prestigious collections of fine art.

A Lithuanian painter, master of applied graphics, a prominent art historian, teacher and talented organizer. As a bright representative of the second wave of Russian Suprematism and Constructivism, the artist actively promoted the ideas of new art close to Russian Suprematism in the style of Malevich and Constructivism in the style of Tatlin, as well as such styles as Cubism and Futurism.In 1923, the artist was the first to widely and officially introduce avant-garde art to Lithuanian artists and the public by organizing the New Art Exhibition in Vilnius. The process in this country was much slower, and the efforts undertaken by Kairiūkštis and his like-minded people to introduce the ideas of the European avant-garde significantly accelerated changes in Lithuanian art.At the invitation of Kairiūkštis, Polish Constructivists from “The Bloc” participated in the “New Exhibition”. This allowed Lithuanian artists to become members of this Warsaw association, and later to join the “Present Tense” group.For about 10 years, the artist headed the painting department at the Vilnius Academy of Arts, organized his own studio, and also worked in Kaunas. As a result of his active pedagogical activity, the entire generation of his compatriots was encouraged to radically depart from Academism.As a researcher of the Lithuanian modernist era, Vytautas Kairiūkštis published a monograph about his fellow countryman, watercolor artist Kajetonas Sklėrius, several articles on the work of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis and a number of articles on the theory and history of fine art.

An Austrian Surrealist painter, art theorist, sculptor and poet, author of several philosophical works, who worked in Mexico and the USA.Wolfgang Paalen came from a wealthy German-Austrian family; his childhood passed in an old castle, purchased and restored by his father. The atmosphere of the Middle Ages reigned there; ancient legends and legends of local people significantly impacted the formation of the personality of the future artist.Paalen was a member of the group of abstract artists "Abstraction-Creation", and later became one of the prominent figures of the surrealist movement, acting as an organizer and designer of their exhibitions, both in Europe and in the USA. At the invitation of Frida Kahlo, he moved to Mexico, where he founded his surreal art magazine DYN, which had a great influence on the avant-garde art of the country.In his work, Wolfgang Paalen sought to combine abstract art with an appeal to the subconscious and symbolic elements. He developed his model of surrealistic expression, presented in the form of a mysterious, otherworldly landscape permeated with mysticism and saturated with mysterious images of cosmic origin.Abstract paintings of the artist and his theoretical articles had a great influence on the development of Abstract Expressionism, which became the major art movement in the USA in the second half of the XXth century.

A Georgian artist, graphic artist and master of scenography, as well as an art historian, inventor and teacher. David Kakabadze was an innovator not only in the field of fine arts but also in cinematography, who patented a film apparatus for volumetric shooting. His work is characterized by love for various European modern trends and by both a commitment to national themes and traditions and a distinctive interpretation of avant-garde art movements of the 20th century. The painter left a rich artistic legacy. The largest collection of his paintings belongs to the national museums and galleries of Georgia.

A Swedish artist and writer, one of the first modernists in his country. Gösta Adrian-Nilsson, who signed his paintings with the acronym GAN, was a comprehensively gifted person. He painted in various avant-garde styles, was an active member of the German progressive group Der Sturm (Storm, Berlin), created talented illustrations for the works of his contemporaries, and also wrote his own poems and fairy tales for children. A great admirer of Oscar Wilde in his youth, Adrian-Nilsson adored the decadent movement of the late 19th century, but at the beginning of the next century joined German Expressionists, Italian Futurists, and later French Cubists, making a considerable contribution to the spread of these art movements in his homeland.

An outstanding Argentinean artist, painter and cartoonist, master of scenery, illustrations and mosaic technology, spent the last period of his long creative career in Paris. He was one of the most influential avant-garde artists of Argentina in the 20th century and became famous for his unique style, combining the tendencies of different art movements in contemporary visual art. Galleries and museums in Europe, the United States and other countries purchased the master's works. However, most are in private collections; hundreds of paintings by the popular artist are exhibited annually at art auctions.

An English artist, one of the prominent figures of British avant-garde painting. A student of the famous Slade School, David Bomberg was one of the so-called “Whitechapel Boys”, artists from East London, many of who made important contributions to the visual arts of England. He was a member of the “London Group”, an association of artists of various modernist art movements. Bomberg exhibited his paintings at the New England Art Club and was a talented teacher, whose students were famous artists. The First World War, in which he was directly involved, had a profound effect on the artist's work, fundamentally changing his attitude to art. Despite the fact that the works of David Bomberg are considered the most vivid examples of the English avant-garde movement of Vorticism, he did not consider himself to be a representative this movement, always being independent in his creative style.

A Russian artist, graphic artist, designer, stage designer, a major avant-garde master, whose short creative career evolved in the revolutionary era. Lyubov Popova participated in the practical embodiment of the three most important styles - cubism, suprematism and constructivism, wrote programs for students. In 2009, the Tate Gallery in London reconstructed the exhibition “5 x 5 = 25” (Moscow, 1921), organized by the artist along with like-minded people, as the most important for understanding the development of the Russian avant-garde. In 2012, one of the craters of Mercury was named in honor of Popova.

A Ukrainian artist and graphic artist, designer and set designer, who worked for a considerable time in Moscow. V. Tatlin was the founder of the Art Constructivism and the largest representative of the innovative movement in the art of the 20th century. The symbol of this art movement is the “Tatlin’s Tower”, developed by the innovator in 1919.

Synopsis:A Russian painter and graphic artist, who officially called himself an artist-researcher. He was one of the famous leaders of the avant-garde in his country, a theorist and founder, as well as a practitioner and teacher of "analytical art", a unique reforming movement that had a significant impact on the artistic mindsets of many creators of the first half of the 20th century.Filonov brought elements of scientific knowledge into the vanguard movement and was engaged in combining different ways of knowing the world, relying on intuition. In fact, the artist, who had phenomenal abilities in abstracted thinking, developed a symbolic understanding of painting, the aim of which was to depict not only the object but also thoughts about it and the way of its transmission, that is, added self-reflection to symbolism.Filonov had many followers and imitators, but the strength of his original “accomplishment” was difficult to achieve. Filonov’s “analytical art”, which formed the symbolist branch in the Russian avant-garde, was in opposition to constructivism and suprematism and came close to the surrealistic motives of European modernism.The master’s works are popular in the art market and are constantly exhibited throughout the world. At the exhibition in the Paris center of G. Pompidou in 1990, eight works stolen from the Russian Museum were found; seven of them were returned after many years of negotiations.

A Russian avant-garde artist, painter, graphic artist, master of art photography, poster artist, innovative photographer, sculptor, film artist. Alexander Rodchenko is rightly called the founder of advertising and design in the USSR. Rodchenko, along with V. Tatlin, is one of the ideologists of Constructivism. He was an adherent of the art movement when the form in the art merges with its utilitarian function. His wife, artist and designer Varvara Stepanova, helped him to do researches in the field of constructivist practice; they created many projects together in 40 years. Alexander Rodchenko left a legacy of poster production, as well as book graphics, illustrating Mayakovsky and Kruchenykh, Khlebnikov and other avant-garde word masters. The master’s photographic works, his ideas in creating installations and in designing small architectural forms are very highly valued throughout the world. Cinema attracted the artist as a new technical art. Collaborating with avant-garde cinema, Rodchenko created posters for the film “Battleship Potemkin” by Sergei Eisenstein; later worked as a decorator and production designer of the film “Your Acquaintance” by L. Kuleshov. Positioning himself after 1921 not as an artist-creator, but as an artist-designer, Alexander Rodchenko vividly responded to invitations to decorate cities, create posters, organize exhibitions and workshops. Being a professor of state-owned free workshops, he organized the work of one of the first design studio faculties in the USSR. As an artist and photographer, Alexander Rodchenko is represented in major museums in Russia, Europe. His work “Black on Black” is in the permanent exhibition of the New York Museum of Modern Art.

An American and French artist of Jewish origin, photographer, director, publicist, the most famous representative of Cubism and Dadaism, who played an important role in the development and dissemination of these and other new trends on the American continent.

A Russian and Soviet artist, a teacher and a memoirist. He worked in such styles as Post-Impressionism and Rayonism. He worked in the genres of easel and monumental painting, as well as a graphic and book illustrator.Was born into the family of an inspector supervising homes for the orphans named after Empress Maria Fyodorovna. The mother of the future artist, Sophia Nensberg, a Swedish woman, was fond of drawing and became the first teacher of her son, though sometimes the drawings of her son outraged her.Romanovich was an active participant and even a "builder" of such groups as "Rayonists and Futurists", "Makovets", "Four Arts". The artist worked much as a teacher of drawing and painting in Voronezh and in Moscow. Talented essayist Romanovich wrote essays and sketches about famous artists-compatriots, such as N. Ge, M. Larionov, P. Bromirsky, P. Mituriche, as well as P. Picasso and Van Gogh.Paintings of the artist decorate theaters, pavilions, industrial buildings of major cities of the USSR. The artist's paintings are in the main museums in Russia and in many regional museums and galleries of the country.

An American artist, a representative of Cubism and pop art in painting. Stuart Davis is an icon of contemporary art, whose work combines European art tradition with a truly American culture and lifestyle.Stuart's father was an art editor of the art department of “Philadelphia Press” and worked closely with many famous artists, including John Sloane, George Lax and Robert Henry. The artist's mother was a talented sculptor, and the boy was close to the world of art from childhood.The artist is considered the founder of modernist painting in the United States, in particular, the style of pop art, which has become a phenomenal world discovery. Being the head of the Union of Artists and the national chairman of the Congress of American Artists, Davis always advocated the accessibility of art to the broad masses and tried to influence the country's socio-political environment through his creativity. For active work and outstanding achievements in the visual arts, the artist was twice awarded the International Guggenheim Prize in 1958 and in 1960. The works of Stuart Davis made a revolution in American painting, making it public and understandable for everyone, and highlighting the unique nature of the nation.The work of Stuart Davis is a unique phenomenon not only in American but also in the world painting. Pictures of this amazing and very bright artist represent a mosaic of images, symbols and colors familiar to everyone and directly affecting the emotions of the viewer.Many of the representatives of Abstract expressionism and Abstract surrealism considered themselves the followers of Davis.

A Ukrainian artist of Jewish origin, a painter, draftsman and sculptor, as well as an inventor who lived and worked in Paris for many years. Born under the name Shulim Wolf Leib Baranov.Baranoff-Rossine was a vivid representative of the Ukrainian and Russian avant-garde. He was recognized throughout Europe and the United States. He invented the color-visual clavier and presented "bell-ring" concerts at the theaters of Russia, France, the Netherlands and the USA. In the Paris Center of G. Pompidou, there is the device itself and the Gallery of visual effects of the opophonic piano.Constantly experimenting with color and light effects, Wladimir Davydovich applied them in the military art, having developed the technique of camouflage in 1939. Baranoff was officially registered as the inventor of the "photochromometer", which allowed to determine the quality of precious stones, as well as the machine "Multiperko", which produced, sterilized, poured carbonated drinks. His inventions received several technical awards, which, unfortunately, did not save the Jewish artist from the Auschwitz gas chamber in 1944.In 1972, the artist's family gave 38 works to the Museum of Modern Art in Paris; his son Dmitry restored the color music piano, which was exhibited in the hall of the Pompidou Center. The artist was presented in 1972 at the exhibition "Significant paintings of Russian artists in French collections", works have been exhibited around the world, in particular, retrospectives at the Tretyakov Gallery in 2002, at the Russian Museum and the Pushkin Museum in 2007.

A Ukrainian avant-garde artist of Jewish origin, a violinist and a composer, who worked in Germany, Brazil and France.Born into the wealthy Jewish family of a coalpit manager. Yuhym's father was fond of architecture and painting, as well as chemistry. A family's friend was outstanding artist W. Kandinsky.As a musician was one of the first and recognized composers and dodecaphonists. As an artist (this is a bigger part of his entire creative career) was one of the founders of Berlin Dadaism, was a co-author of the manifest of the adherents of Dada, participated in exhibitions. The Nazis destroyed his works of the early period as “degenerate art”.

An English artist and designer. She was a member of the creative group "Bloomsbury", the participants of which were British intellectuals, talented painters and poets.Vanessa Bell, maiden name Vanessa Stephen, was born into a creative family. The artist's father was a famous historian, literary critic, theologian and climber Leslie Stephen, who gave his daughter an initial art education. The sister of the artist was famous writer Virginia Woolf.Vanessa Bell was among the first artists who dared to break the barrier between Britain and the mainland. She not only boldly used the methods of Post-impressionism and Art Nouveau in her work, but also actively developed avant-garde movements in England.

A Russian avant-garde artist, writer, who lived and worked mainly in Paris.The artist was born into the large family of a merchant, far from art.He was a member of the group of Dadaists and participated in their exhibitions in Paris and Berlin. The importance of his art was confirmed by masters Pablo Picasso and Marcel Duchamp, as well as the retrospective exhibition held at the Museum of Modern Art of Paris (1971). The artist wrote and published his own magazine "Perevoz-dada", which was published intermittently and with different names from 1922 to 1973 and is a valuable source of information for art historians.Consistently passing the stage of adherence to Cubism, Purism, Orphism, Dadaism, Sharshun formed his own style. At the same time, he did not forget the experiments and finds of the past. Modernizing different techniques and ideas in its own way, combining them, he became recognizable and respected.

French prominent avant-garde painter of Finnish and Danish origin, who received art education in Moscow and Paris. He worked in France and became a part of the Paris School of Painting. He was born into the family of a Finn, the owner of the Moscow piano factory Leopold Friedrich Stürzwag, in Lappeenranta, 30 kilometers from the Russian border on Lake Saima (according to other sources, he was born on August 12 in Moscow). From a young age, he studied music, received a diploma of a merchant in 1897. He worked as a painter, graphic artist and theater decorator (collaborated with S. Diaghilev's "Russian Ballets"), as well as a book illustrator and monumentalist.Together with Arkhipenko and Glaz, he became the founder of the group "Golden Section" ("Section d'or", 1920), took part in exhibitions in Rotterdam and The Hague, Amsterdam and Geneva, Rome, Milan. Actively exhibited with "The Independent" in the Paris halls, was presented at the opening day of the "Master of Cubism" (1921).Survage became the author-developer of the theory of moving color abstract forms, was the founder of the Paris association of Cubists and Abstractionists "Golden Section". The artist was highly esteemed by the state, he was awarded national prizes and awards, became an officer of the Order of the Legion of Honor.The artist is awarded the National prize of France, the Medal of Paris, the rank of officer of the Order of the Legion of Honor. French television created film "In honor of Survage."

An Israeli and Romanian artist and architect, publisher and writer, a significant figure in the world avant-garde of the 20th century.He was born into a Jewish family. While studying at a secondary school, he also took private piano lessons and individual painting lessons from Romanian Expressionist Joseph Izer.He was a theorist of Dadaism and one of the leading exhibitors of constructivism in Easter Europe, as well as a founding member of several creative and innovative associations of artists in Romania and Israel. Marcel Janko became an organizer and designer of the village of painters and sculptors in Ein Hod near Haifa (Israel), where the Yanko-Dada Museum and studios are now actively working. He is a laureate of several prestigious awards in his historical motherland.

A French artist, designer, stage designer and musician. Georges Valmier was a follower of the most advanced artistic trends of his time, from Impressionism to Cubism and abstraction.The artist closely cooperated with the modern theater, creating scenery and costumes for performances, and was also a successful designer, developing models of carpets, furniture and other household items. The artist made a great contribution to the development of Cubist and Abstract (non-figurative) art. He was, along with J. Arp, A. Glace and others, a member of the executive committee of "Abstraction-Creativity" group - the first association of abstract artists, which was of great importance for the development of European abstract painting. Valmier published his works in the regularly published and popular not only in Paris edition of the Bulletin of Modern Art, which in many respects influenced the formation of artistic views in society. Georges Valmier was an excellent musician, he performed many concerts with the works of Debussy, Ravel, Sati, and others, and even influenced composer A. Jolivet.At the end of his life, the artist devoted much time to the stage design and the creation of costumes for modern theater and ballet. The most fruitful was his collaboration with director Marinetti at the Italian "Theater of Art".Valmier's work had a significant influence on the development of non-figurative painting of the early twentieth century. First of all, this is a pure abstraction, in which there is not even a hint of real forms, as well as Pop-art, Neoplasticism and Dadaism.

A French and American artist, designer, graphic illustrator, poet and publicist, who had Cuban citizenship.The artist's father was a Cuban attaché; his mother was a Frenchwoman. Financially secured Picabia studied with Fernand Cormon and other well-known teachers at the School of Applied Arts. After graduation, the artist worked at the studio of Cormon with his classmates Georges Braque and Marie Laurencin for the next four years.Francis Picabia became famous as an eccentric artist who does not obey any rules and stylistic dogmas in his work. He was called "Papa Dada", since he was the largest figure of the Dada movement in the United States and France, and the editor of the avant-garde magazine "391", where the works of artists of this movement were published. Together with his friend and companion Marcel Duchamp, Picabia had a great influence on contemporary art, in particular, on Surrealism and conceptualism. The main galleries of contemporary art in the world still actively acquire the master's paintings.

A Swiss and German painter, graphic artist, art theorist, one of the biggest figures of the European avant-garde.Paul, the son of a German father and a Swiss mother, was born on December 18 near Bern in Münchenbuchze. Both of his parents were musicians: his father taught music at a college, while his mother was a professional singer. From the age of seven, the boy played the violin, and other hobbies were drawing and writing poems. Despite the family's desire that his son builds a musical career, he decided to achieve success in the fine arts, where he could "create, and not just perform."A citizen of Germany, P. Klee was born, spent much of his life and died in Switzerland. He was an active member of Blue Horseman group, he taught at Bauhaus - an influential school of architecture and industrial design, at the Dusseldorf Academy of Arts. Pictures came to the exhibition of "degenerate" art. The influence of the creativity of Paul Klee extends to many styles of the 20th century: Surrealism and Minimalism, geometric Abstract art and Abstract expressionism. The Center of P. Klee was opened in Bern.

An outstanding German artist, sculptor, designer and poet.His father was a German man from Kiel and his mother was from Alsace. His restless nature, the propensity to move, according to Arp, was predetermined - he called himself Jean, when he spoke in French, and Hans, when he switched to German.He was a founding member and participant of many avant-garde groups in Zurich, Munich, Berlin, Cologne, Paris. Cavalier of the main orders of France in the field of culture, winner of many prestigious awards. A large collection of works is presented at the Museum of New and Contemporary Art in Strasbourg, situated on the square of H. Arp. The cultural center in Clamart, a street in Paris. is named after the artist. The Foundation of Arp in Bonn received the status of a national museum in 2004.

A Russian painter, who worked in Germany and Switzerland.Alexej was the fifth of eight children born into the family of a colonel in the Russian army. In the 1980s, he served as an officer in the imperial army. At the same time, he was a student of Ilya Repin, working in his workshop at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.He was a founding member of the association of Munich Expressionist artists "New Art Society" (Neue Künster Vereinigung), the group "Blue Horseman" ("Der Blaue Reiter"); starting in 1925, he was a member of the Blue Four ("Die Blauen Vier") - an association that actively collaborated with German and American art galleries and art dealers.

Spanish painter, graphic artist, sculptor, director and writer. One of the most famous figures in Surrealism, and author of “The Persistence of Memory”, one of the most famous paintings of the 20th century.Dalí started painting at the age of four. He created his first serious work at the age of ten. It was a small impressionistic landscape, painted on a wooden board with oil paints. Henceforth, Dali spent whole days sitting in a small, specially allocated room and painting pictures. “I wanted to be given the laundry under the roof of our house. I got it and made it my own workshop, decorating it in the way I preferred,” he remembered later. Moreover, he liked to analyze the works of famous artists. He wrote and published essays about the works of Velazquez, Goya, El Greco, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris, better known as Le Corbusier, was a French architect, the pioneer of architectural modernism and functionalism, a representative of international architecture, an artist and a designer. He was one of the founders of Purism.Jeanneret created his first architectural project at the age of 17, under the guidance of a professional architect. It was a house for engraver Louis Fallet. As soon as the construction was completed, Jeanneret made his first educational trip to Italy and Austria-Hungary. In Italy, Austria and France he created a few new projects for local buildings. “I prefer drawing to talking. Drawing is faster, and leaves less room for lies,” he said.

Dutch artist who practiced painting, writing, poetry and architecture. The founder and leader of “De Stijl” (“Style”), a Dutch artistic movement also known as Neoplasticism. As a poet he wrote under the pseudonym I. K. Bonset, and as a philosopher – the pseudonym Aldo Kamini.Van Doesburg was an architect by profession; he learned painting on his own. The artist created his works after long and careful calculation, using mathematical formulas. According to the theory of “Style”, compositions were to be constructed in accordance with the proportional relations between the geometric fragments that are included in their composition.

Mondrian was one of the pioneers of 20th century abstract art. He changed his artistic direction from figurative painting to an increasingly abstract style, which was eventually reduced to simple geometric elements.

The founder of European Futurism and one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century in Italy. The main thing in his painting is the sense of movement, which the artist tried to convey first with the help of pointillism invented by Georges Seurat, and later with his own methods and finds in art.Giacomo Balla became the author of the first paintings depicting various objects in dynamics; his deep knowledge of the art of photography helped him. The artist shared his discoveries with his students Umberto Boccioni and Gino Severini, with whom he proclaimed the manifesto of Futurism in 1910.Balla’s paintings entered the history of fine art as the first attempts to reproduce the dynamics of real life. Based on his work, the first animated films were created. The decomposition of objects, which the artist himself called "moving light", opened a direct path to non-point forms leading to complete abstraction.The post-war creations of the artist were close to abstraction; they became less rapid but more saturated in colour. Balla also became one of the founders of "aero painting" - a short-term movement in the visual arts, the purpose of which was to reflect the feeling of fly and weightlessness.In addition to the works of fine art, the painter created futuristic sculptures, theatrical scenery and costumes, as well as various design objects. His work served as the basis for the development of Abstract art.

Marsden Hartley (real name: Edmund Hartley) was an American artist and poet, one of the largest representatives of avant-garde in his country. Spending much of his time in Europe, the artist joined a large and influential German group called the “Blue Horseman”. He also participated in prestigious European and American exhibitions. The works of Marsden Hartley are represented in large public collections throughout America as an important and integral part of the avant-garde movement in this country.

Outstanding Romanian artist of German-Jewish origin, talented stage designer and one of the leading representatives of the Avant-garde movement in his country. The artist worked in the styles of Cubism, Expressionism, Constructivism and Modernism. He was the founder and editor of several periodicals. Max Hermann Maxy ran a school that he founded for those expelled from the official Academy Jewish artists, as well as a Jewish theater. In the 1920s, when the wave of artistic innovations began in Romania, Maximilian Hermann was at the forefront of the rebellion against a society that had deprived them of the right to full citizenship. He investigated the newest styles of art, joined provocative modern movements, organized the work of new educational institutions and the publication of journals. After the war, the painter was appointed the director of the Romanian Museum of Art and professor of the Institute of Fine Arts named after Nikolai Grigorescu. He made a great contribution to the formation and development of Romania’s culture.

Russian painter, writer and art theorist, one of the founders of Abstract art.Kandinsky received a basic musical and art education in Odessa, Ukraine. After that, he studied law and economics in Russia. He had been interested in painting since childhood. “Every color has its mysterious life,” he said. However, only at the age of 30 did Kandinsky seriously decide to become an artist.

Henri-Émile-Benoît Matisse was a French artist, draughtsman, printmaker, and sculptor. He was the leader of the Fauvism movement and is known for both his use of color and his fluid and original draughtsmanship. Apart from Fauvism, he worked in other genres such as Impressionism, Post-Impressionism and Cubism.

A French artist, writer and art critic. Albert Gleizes was an adherent and theorist of Cubism, and author of “About Cubism”, the first book devoted to this area, co-authored with Jean Metzinger.

The main representative of Abstract Expressionism, one of the creators of The color field painting. A prominent figure among the New York School painters, Mark Rothko moved through many artistic styles until he invented his own style.

A Russian artist of Jewish origin, a vivid representative of the avant-garde of the first third of the 20th-century art. El Lissitzky is rightly classified as a “pioneer” in exposition design. His famous prouns (short for “projects of the approval of the new”) conquered Europe - the “Prouns' Room” was created in Berlin, and the principles developed by Lissitzky were used by such artists as V. Tatlin, P. Mondrian, etc.The role of Lissitzky in building effective bridges between the Western avant-garde and Russian post-revolutionary art in the 1920s was significant. Collaborating with many art magazines published in Berlin and Amsterdam, Lissitzky influenced the development of the international graphic design of the XX century and a whole generation of European artists.Lissitzky believed that the artist is an agent of social changes, who seeks and implements a new expressive language through posters with a bright visual effect, easily understood by all social layers in all countries of the world. The propaganda side of many of his works does not overshadow what the artist brought into the use of forms, solid colours, and their organization in the space of the work. His creative concept developed the branch when the totality of the work is a unique style that embodies painting, architecture and sculpture.The artist was an active member of the Jewish national cultural revival, organizer and participant in exhibitions, illustrator of Jewish literature. A valuable contribution to the development of art was his essay “Memories of the Mogilev Synagogue” published in 1923 in Berlin, the only theoretical work by Lissitzky dedicated to Jewish decorative art.

Like in his earlier works, the artist paid much attention to colours, carefully selecting the necessary shades and their combinations. In “Red Diagonal”, colours create a dynamic composition, thanks to the contrast between the neutral white and the defiant fiery red hue.

Despite the strict shape, the “Yellow Curve” is not a regular geometric figure. This painting in intense canary colours has a completely irregular shape, as it has neither straight lines nor right angles.

Soon after returning from Paris, Kelly began to create works of a non-standard form instead of paintings from several colour panels. "Black over blue" is one of the most famous paintings by the artist in this series.

In this work, Ellsworth Kelly tried to convey the tension that exists between the figure and the background on which it is located. Despite its flat forms, the composition is very dynamic.

The abstract works of Ellsworth Kelly are based on natural forms. In the 1960s, he made a series of lithographs in the style of minimalism, in which he depicted tree leaves and fruits in the form of simplified flat figures.

This is an abstraction of bright, pure colours. The picture consists of seven equal panels and has a horizontal orientation – the author’s favorite format. During its creation, Ellsworth Kelly actively experimented in the style of neoplasticism with different colour ratios, studying their effect on each other and human perception.

In this work of his Parisian period, the artist compared various colours in random order, thus proving that their combinations create a certain atmosphere and mood depending on their location. Ellsworth Kelly drew inspiration in the outside world.

In his minimalist works, Ellsworth Kelly tried to reduce the importance of subjective factors and personal preferences of the performer. To do this, he used the element of chance, which he began to apply under the influence of Jean Arp and John Cage even during his stay in Paris after participating in the war.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Museum of Modern Art, New York (the USA).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: gouache and silver on paper. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: the National Museum of Modern Art, G. Pompidou Center, Paris (France).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: the Lviv National Museum of Art (Ukraine).

Mediums: paper, metal foil, parts of paintings, oil paint, chalk, linen, cardboard. Location: the Kunst Ludwig Museum of Modern Art, Vienna (Austria).

Mediums: guarea wood, part painted. Location: Gimpel Fils (London, the UK).

Mediums: bronze. Location: The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (Washington, DC, the USA).

Mediums: guarea wood and paint. Location: The Tate Gallery (London, the UK).

Mediums: elm and strings on oak base. Location: The Tate Gallery (London, the UK).

Mediums: сumberland аlabaster.. Location: The Tate Gallery (London, the UK).

Mediums: bronze. Location: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (London, UK).

Mediums: oil, cardboard. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, cardboard. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The National Gallery of Modern Art (Rome, Italy).

Mediums: gouache, paper. Location: The Perls Gallery (New York, the USA).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: watercolour, gouache, paper. Location: The Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester (the UK).

Mediums: watercolour, gouache, paper. Location: Smart Museum of Art, the University of Chicago (the USA).

Mediums: gouache, watercolour, paper. Location: Smart Museum of Art, the University of Chicago (the USA).

Материалы: масло, холст. Местонахождение: находится в Музее Виктории и Альберта (Великобритания).

Материалы: бумага, карандаш, мел, акварель. Местонахождение: находится в Галерее Тейт Модерн, Лондон (Великобритания).

Mediums: ink, watercolour, paper. Location: The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archeology, Oxford (the UK).

Mediums: tempera, canvas, wood. Location: The Tate Modern Gallery, London (the UK).

Mediums: gouache, ink, graphite, paper. Location: The Tate Modern Gallery, London (the UK).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Museum of Art (Gallarate, Italy).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Museum of Modern Art (Trento, Italy).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: сollage, mixed media, paper, board.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Museum of Modern Art (New York, the USA).

Mediums: oil, cardboard. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Museum of Art (Lodz, Poland).

Mediums: oil, wood. Location: The Tate Modern Gallery, London (the UK).

Mediums: tempera, sand board. Location: The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (the UK).

Mediums: wood, tempera. Location: The Tate Modern Gallery (the UK).

Mediums: tempera, board. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The collection of the commune of Perugia (Italy).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Tate Gallery (London, the UK).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg (Russia).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg (Russia).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: Ludwig Museum, Cologne (Germany).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: the State Russian Museum. Saint-Petersburg, Russia.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: the Kaluga Museum of Fine Arts (Russia).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: the Solomon Guggenheim Museum (New York, the USA).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow (Russia).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Center for Fine Arts named after M. Abraham. (France).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Museum of Fine Arts of Jerusalem (Israel).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Museum of Modern Art (New York, the USA).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, Canada).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Museum of Modern Art (New York, the USA).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Albright Knox Gallery (Buffalo, the USA).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Dimensions: 96.8 x 24 cm. Location: The Tate Modern Gallery (London, the UK).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Museum of Modern Art (New York, the USA).

Mediums: oil, newspaper, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Moravian Gallery, Brno (Czech Republic).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The National Art Gallery, Prague (Czech Republic).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Ulyanovsk Art Museum named after A. Plastova (Russia).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Yaroslavl State Art Museum (Russia).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Yaroslavl State Art Museum (Russia).

Mediums: pastel, paper. Location: the Museum of Art of St. Petersburg of the XX-XXI centuries (Russia).

Mediums: pastel, paper. Location: The Museum of Art of St. Petersburg of the XX-XXI centuries (Russia).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Yaroslavl Art Museum (Yaroslavl, Russia).

Mediums: watercolor, paper. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg (Russia).

Mediums: paper, gouache. Location: The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg (Russia).

Mediums: paper, watercolor. Location: The Regional Art Museum. Vasnetsov, Kirov (Russia).

Mediums: paper, watercolor. Location: The Museum of Organic Culture, Kolomna (Russia).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow (Russia).

Mediums: paper, watercolor. Location: The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg (Russia).

Mediums: tempera, paper. Location: The private collection of S. I. Grigoryants, Moscow (Russia).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The National Museum of Contemporary Art, Center Pompidou, Paris (France).

Mediums: рlastic. Location: MetLife Building (New York, the USA).

Mediums: oil, fiberboard. Location: The Tate Gallery (London, the UK).

Mediums: incised vinyl. Location: Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza (Madrid, Spain).

Mediums: oil, masonite. Location: Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Los Angeles, the USA).

The Josef & Anni Albers Foundation (Bethany, Connecticut, the USA).

Mediums: zinc lithograpy. Location: The Museum of Modern Art (New York, the USA).

Mediums: oil, masonite. Location: The Josef & Anni Albers Foundation (Bethany, Connecticut, the USA).

Mediums: oil, board. Location: The Josef & Anni Albers Foundation (Bethany, Connecticut, the USA).

Mediums: sandblasted glass, paint. Location: Josef & Anni Albers Foundation (Bethany, Connecticut, the USA).

Mediums: glass, metal, and wire. Location: The Josef & Anni Albers Foundation (Bethany, Connecticut, the USA).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Museum of Contemporary Art, New York (the USA).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: Weinstein Gallery, San Francisco (the USA).

Mediums: cardboard, watercolor, gouache, graphite. Location: the Sepherot Foundation Collection, Vaduz (Liechtenstein).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The State Tretyakov Gallery. Moscow, Russia.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The State Tretyakov Gallery. Moscow, Russia.

Mediums: acrylic, paper. Location: San Jose Museum of Art (San Jose, California, the USA).

Mediums: acrylic, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: paints Parle, canvas. Location: сollection Lucid Art Foundation (Inverness, California, the USA).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: Collection of Lucid Art Foundation (California, the USA).

Mediums: acrylic, paper. The Collection of Lucid Art Foundation (Inverness, California, the USA).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: Tate Gallery (London, England).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: the Tate Gallery (London, England).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Moravian Gallery Brno (Czech Republic).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Pompidou Center, National Museum of Modern Art, Paris (France).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The National Museum of Contemporary Art of the Center Pompidou, Paris (France).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Reina Sofia National Museum (Madrid, Spain).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Vilnius Art Museum (Lithuania).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, Washington University (St. Louis, the USA).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: Weinstein Gallery San Francisco (the USA).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: tempera, cardboard, canvas. Location: The collection of A.B.Sterligov, Moscow (Russia).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The collection of the Dorothea Tanning Foundation, New York (the USA).

Mediums: watercolor, graphite, tinted paper. Location: The Museum of the Chicago Art Institute (USA).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Museum of the Minneapolis Institute of the Arts (the USA).

Mediums: oil, sand, fibers, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, sand, canvas. Location: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution.

Location: National Museum of Fine Arts, Buenos Aires.

Location: Tate Gallery, London.

Mediums: oil, canvas, collage. Location: The Collection of the Center G. Pompidou, Paris (France).

Mediums: paper, gouache, pencil. Location: The Collection of the Center G. Pompidou, Paris (France).

Mediums: gouache, pencil, paper. Location: The Museum of Modern Art, New York (the USA).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg (Russia).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Collection of the Center G. Pompidou, Paris (France).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Location: Yaroslavl Art Museum.

Location: Yaroslavl Art Museum.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg (Russia).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg (Russia).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The London Tate Modern Gallery (the UK).

Mediums: oil, tempera, canvas. Location: The Center Georges Pompidou, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Paris (France).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The National Museum of Art, Kyiv (Ukraine).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Collection of William Otten, Hohenems (Austria).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow (Russia).

Mediums: gouache, pencil, paper. Location: The Museum of Modern Art, New York (the USA).

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg (Russia).

Mediums: oil, board(wood). Location: the archive of personal collections of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow (Russia).

Материалы: масло, холст. Местонахождение: находится в Государственном музее изобразительных искусств им. А.. Пушкина, Москва (Россия).

Location: private collection.

Mediums: watercolor. Location: Smithsonian Museum of American Art, Washington, USA.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Saratov State Art Museum, Russia.

Mediums: oil, canvas. Location: The Saratov State Art Museum, Russia.

Mediums: oil, paper. Location: private collection.

Mediums: oil, paper. Location: private collection.