Burliuk David

Spring 46x56 cm, oil on canvas

David Davidovich Burliuk (1882-1967) is often called the “father of Russian futurism.” This outstanding artist was born on the farm Semirotovshchina of the Kharkov province, now Lebedinsky district of Sumy region. The son of the estate manager, agronomist and noblewoman of the amateur artist. Their family had three sons: David – the eldest child, Vladimir, Nikolai and three daughters: Lyudmila, Marianna and Nadezhda. From early childhood, they instilled a love of art. D. Burliuk studied at the Kazan Art School, later at the Odessa Art College with K. Kostandi, G. Ladyzhensky and A. Popov, continued his studies at the Royal Academy of Arts in Munich, where he studied under V. Von Diez and the A. Ashbe School. Professor Anton Ashbe himself jokingly called him “a beautiful wild steppe horse” more than once, which D. Burliuk really liked, he repeatedly remembered his youthful nickname. Later, the artist lived in Paris, where he studied at the studio of Fernand Cormon (Fernand Cormon) and at the Ecole des Beaux Arts (School of Higher (Fine) Arts), in 1911-1914. at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture at L. Pasternak and A. Arkhipov, whence he was soon expelled for propaganda of futurism with his best friend, poet V. Mayakovsky. During this period, young poets and artists began to unite around David Burliuk. Thus, the young Burliuk becomes one of the leaders of the literary and artistic avant-garde movement. Thanks to the organizational and lively nature of D. Burliuk, the first futuristic exhibitions, such as “Stefanos”, “Link”, “Exhibition of Contemporary Art Trends” and many others, in which D. Burliuk participated as an organizer and artist, saw the light of day. In addition, his works were presented at such famous exhibitions as S.K. Salon. Makovsky, at I and II “Salons” V.A. Izdebsky, “Union of Youth”, “Jack of Diamonds”, “World of Art” and many others. In 1910, D. Burliuk, together with like-minded people, created the first association of futurists “Gilea”. Significant on his career was his participation in 1911 in the first exhibition of the Blue Horseman association, a group of German expressionists in Munich. A year later, the artist, together with V. Mayakovsky, A. Kruchennykh, V. Khlebnikov, released the program manifesto “Slap in the face of public taste”, in which they expressed their charity for the established style of artistic and literary language. The artist himself said: “Futurism is not a school, it is a new attitude.”

Fate David Burliuk gave many travels to different corners of the globe. Together with V. Palmov, the artist traveled to the Far East, spent a long time in Siberia, where he gave lectures, exhibited, held poetry evenings and staged futuristic performances. In Vladivostok, he even managed to lead a local cabaret. In 1920-22. He lived and worked in Japan, where he had a strong influence on contemporary local artists. According to art historians: “the father of Russian futurism made Japanese artists jump into the future.”

In 1922, D. Burliuk, together with his wife Maria, moved to America, where in 1930 he received citizenship. Abroad D. Burliuk became a famous and iconic artist, his works were exhibited in the best museums. He was a member of the Hammer and Sickle literary group and the John Reed Club. He participated in many group exhibitions, including Russian art, besides he arranged solo exhibitions almost every year in New York, Washington, Chicago, San Francisco and others. cities of the USA In 1930 – 40s, the artist lived and worked in Czechoslovakia, in Paris, in Italy, spent the winters in Havana, where he arranged his personal exhibitions.

Being an advanced nature and innovator, David Burliuk focused on the development of new styles, tried himself in cubism, futurism, and in many other ultramodern trends at that time .. He constantly said that “the artist must write not only what he sees, but everything what he knows and everything he can imagine. ” As in traditional genre scenes, and in avant-garde compositions, he strove for the reality of lines, colors and textures. He gave them the paramount importance. Often the artist in his avant-garde searches turns to the folk primitive. Unlike the Italian futurists tended to advanced technology. David Burliukvidit the roots of his work in folklore, namely, in the image of a man dissolved in nature. Such an anti-urban trend is the main distinguishing feature of Russian futurism at the beginning of the 20th century.

As well as simple peasant scenes, motifs of a genre still life are often found at different periods of the artist’s work. One of the best examples of such works is the painting “Winter Still Life”. This is a kind of neoclassical narrative that takes us at first sight to an ordinary rural winter day. But, on the other hand, a special manner of transmitting space and planes offers us to plunge into the absolutely fantastic atmosphere of a winter fairy tale. As in many of his other works, this one clearly traces his favorite cross

Read more about the author Collapse

Works IN COLLECTION

Works IN COLLECTION