Ermilov Vasily

The sketch of the painting “Soviet Ukraine” 26,5x26 cm, pencil on paper, 1920

Ermilov Vasily Dmitrievich (1894-1968) – painter, graphic artist, architect, arts and crafts artist, stage designer.

Studied with L.I. Trakala in the Kharkov art and craft school (1905-1909), which he graduated with the title of apprentice of decorative painting. In 1910 he entered the Kharkov Art College, but left his studies. For some time he studied at the school-studio of E.A. Steinberg and A.N. Grotto in Kharkov. At the same time he was engaged in interior painting, participated in painting the facade of the Kharkov Art College.

In 1911 he moved to Moscow, in 1912 he entered the MUZHVZ. He visited the studio of I.I. Mashkova and P.V. Konchalovsky. Met V.V. Mayakovsky, V.V. Kamensky, V.V. Khlebnikov and other representatives of the Moscow art avant-garde.

He was a member of the futuristic group “Seven” (1918); was influenced by V.E. Tatlin.

In the early 1920s he was engaged in campaigning on the streets and squares of Kharkov for revolutionary holidays. He was engaged in industrial design (sketches of packages, matchboxes, trademarks), book and magazine design, font development, created designs for fabric. As part of the creative group (A. Gladkov, Ermilov, M. L. Mane-Katz) participated in the publication of the album “Seven plus three”, designed magazines. He created covers for the books by Velimir Khlebnikov “Ladomir” (1920), V. L. Polishchuk “Vasily Ermilov” (1931), A. S. Novikov-Priboy “Tsushima” (1933) and others.

In later years (1950–60s) he was engaged in the design of “red corners” in factories, “paper architecture” (“Monument of the Leninist era”, 1961; project of the Picasso Memorial Museum, 1967).

Since 1909 – participant of exhibitions (Partnership of Kharkov artists, since 1914 – member of the Partnership). Since 1927 – member and exhibitor of the Association of Revolutionary Art of Ukraine (ARMU). Member of many international exhibitions, in particular exhibitions in Leipzig (1922; gold medal), decorative arts in Paris (1925), “Contemporary Book Art” in Cologne (1928). Held a personal exhibition in Kharkov (1962).

Ermilov is one of the largest masters of the Soviet art avant-garde, who has proved himself in many areas of art. In early creativity, he was influenced by cubism, futurism, suprematism. In his mature works, he combined abstract motifs with features of Ukrainian folk art, traditional ornaments. Ermilov’s creativity is characterized by a desire for experiment, the search for new forms and solutions, the laconicism of artistic techniques, colorfulness, and decorative expressiveness.

Ermilov’s works are in museum and private collections.

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Works IN COLLECTION

Works IN COLLECTION