Ernst Neizvestny

(American/Russian, 1926–2016)

face on hand by ernst neizvestny

Ernst Neizvestny

Face on Hand

Price on Request

untitled by ernst neizvestny

Ernst Neizvestny

Untitled, 1984

Price on Request

Biography

Timeline

1926
Born April 9, 1926, in Sverdlovsk (Ekaterinburg) in the Urals
1939 - 1942
Wins national competition and attends special school for artistically gifted children, first in Leningrad, then in Samarkand (during the war years)
1942 - 1945
Volonteers for service in the Soviet Armed Forces. Commissioned as airborn commando officer and sees action on Second Ukrainian front. Severely wounded in Austria on April 22, 1945, declared dead, and "posthumously" awarded the Order of the Red Star for heroism
1945
Teaches drawing at Suvorov Cadet School in Sverdlovsk
1946
Academy for Fine Arts in Riga, Latvia
1947 - 1954
Art School of the Surikov Institute, Moscow. At the same time studies philosophy at Moscow University
1955
Member of Sculpture Section of the Union of Soviet Artists, Moscow
1957
Wins two medals at the Fourth International Festival of Youth and Students in Moscow
1959
Wins national competition for Victory monument commemorating Soviet victory over Nazi Germany

Exhibitions

1995
Started working on a monument for Kalmykia, Exodus and Return. Executes Orpheus statuette to be awarded to winners of TEFY TV-contest, Moscow, Bronze model of Tree of Life is presented by government of Russia to mark UNO's 50th anniversary
1994
Finishes The Golden Child, installed in Odessa in May, 1995. Exhibit of works at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Washington DC. Work continues on the Triangle of Suffering. Exhibits in California and Moscow
1993
Russian version of Space, Time and Synthesis published, entitled Centaur. Neizvestny is appointed an Advisor on Culture for the government of Russia. Money to complete monument to the Victims of Stalinism awarded by Yeltsin during a speech in Magadan on Neizvestny's 67th birthday. Exhibit held honoring the Tree of Life Peace Monument at the Russian Federation Mission to the United Nations. New book by John Berger started; including Fate etchings and Berger's poems and writings
1992
Book of Man's Fate etchings, under the title Artist's Fate is published. Exhibition at. the Jewish Museum in Washington DC. Exhibition at the Le Monde Del'Art, Paris. Reception given in Neizvestny's honor by Ambassador of Russian Federation in Washington DC. Commissioned to create a four meter monument, The Golden Child for Odessa's 700th anniversary. Completes work on the Ecclesiastic Series and exhibit it for the first time
1990
First collection of essays in English, Space, Time, and Synthesis in Art: Essays on Art, Literature, and Philosophy published. Commisioned to design memorials to the Victims of Stalinism in Magadan and Sverdlovsk, USSR. Neizvestny Museum set up in Sverdlovsk. Starts working on the Ecclesiastic. Exhibition at the Ergane Gallery
1989
Completes illustrations to jubilee edition of Samuel Beckett's plays. Lectures on culture at Moscow State University. Commissioned to design Holocaust monument in Riga, Latvia, and memorial to victims of Stalinism in Vorkuta, USSR. Soviet documentary film Will the Visionary Answer for the Blind? released in the USSR. On synthesis of the arts published in Problems of Philosophy, after twenty year delay. Elected to full membership in European Academy of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities
1988
Designs New Statue of Liberty in honor of the Republic of China and the Third World. Holds nation-wide exhibitions at Modern Art Museum in Taiwan and presents a model of New Statue of Liberty to the Taiwan government. Meets with Pope John Paul II and presents him with model of New Statue of Liberty
1987
Tree of Life Museum dedicated to Neizvestny's works opens in Uttersberg, Sweden. Body: Man as Visual Sign and Art and Society published
1984
First collection of essays in Russian Neizvestny Speaks published. Lectures on Art and Society at Harvard University. Participates in Seven Dissident Artists at Magna Gallery, San Francisco. Work is started on the Tree of Life Museum in Uttersberg, Sweden
1983
Presents Heart of Christ sculpture to the Pope. Appointed Humanist-in-Residence at the University of Oregon, USA, and conducts a lecture course on Synthesis in Russian Culture. Lecture tour on Art and Freedom in twelve Oregon cities. Holds exhibition at Museum of Art, University of Oregon, and takes part in symposium on Freedom and Culture in the Soviet Union. Columbia University invites Neizvestny as honorary lecturer on art and philosophy. Starts designing a memorial to victims of South Korean airliner shot down over the Soviet territory