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Lot Essay
One of the most significant figures in the advent of Cubo-Futurism was the Ukrainian Avant-Garde painter Alexander Bogomazov. Bogomazov's Cubo-futurist artworks were first presented to the public in the artist’s native Kiev at the Kol'tso [Ring] exhibition organised in early 1914 by himself and Alexandra Exter (1882-1949). By displaying his work alongside that of Exter, Alexander Archipenko (1887-1964) and David Burliuk (1882-1967), Bogomazov confirmed his position as an important figure in Kievan art circles. Here the painter demonstrated that he was already aware of the Futurist idea of motion and Cubist principle of deformation, and managed to create his own formula of Cubo-futurism.
Earlier experiences in Moscow in 1907 and at the first Izdebski salon in Odessa in 1909 were critical as they allowed Bogomazov to become acquainted with the newest artistic trends and key-figures of the art world, providing the impetus for his progression to 'new art'. His exposure to other major Russian Cubo-futurists, such as Lyubov Popova (1889-1924) and Varvara Stepanova (1894-1958); as well as to the Russian Munich school, including the artists Vasily Kandinsky (1866-1944) and Alexei Jawlensky (1864-1941) and to the Italian Futurists, such as Giacomo Balla (1871-1958) was hugely influential on Bogomazov’s artistic development.
The present work is a powerful culmination of the stylistic trends that deeply influenced Bogomazov’s work and led him to create his own unique style. The flattened perspective and the broad colour fields show that he was still solidly connected with the theories of the Munich school, yet the reductive, nearly deconstructed form of the figure, coupled with an innate dynamism reveal that the artist was on the brink of a new stage of Cubo-futurism.
Earlier experiences in Moscow in 1907 and at the first Izdebski salon in Odessa in 1909 were critical as they allowed Bogomazov to become acquainted with the newest artistic trends and key-figures of the art world, providing the impetus for his progression to 'new art'. His exposure to other major Russian Cubo-futurists, such as Lyubov Popova (1889-1924) and Varvara Stepanova (1894-1958); as well as to the Russian Munich school, including the artists Vasily Kandinsky (1866-1944) and Alexei Jawlensky (1864-1941) and to the Italian Futurists, such as Giacomo Balla (1871-1958) was hugely influential on Bogomazov’s artistic development.
The present work is a powerful culmination of the stylistic trends that deeply influenced Bogomazov’s work and led him to create his own unique style. The flattened perspective and the broad colour fields show that he was still solidly connected with the theories of the Munich school, yet the reductive, nearly deconstructed form of the figure, coupled with an innate dynamism reveal that the artist was on the brink of a new stage of Cubo-futurism.