Natalia Goncharova Between East and West exhibition

Natalia Goncharova Between East and West exhibition

The exhibition, devoted to the work of one of the major figures in the Russian avant-garde – Natalia Goncharova, opened in The State Tretyakov Gallery October 16, 2013. The exhibition, with the support of VOGUE, presents the works created between 1907-1959 and features different periods of Goncharova: Russian, French, and a period devoted to experimenting with new art forms (cubism, Rayonism, futurism, abstract composition). Natalia Goncharova (1881-1962) – one of the most famous representatives of the Russian avant-garde, as well as the most expensive Russian artist.

Natalia Goncharova studied painting under guidance of Konstantin Korovin. In the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, she met avant-garde artist Mikhail Larionov (1881-1964), who became her husband. Their creative alliance has had a significant impact on the development of avant-garde art.

A couple of years ago after a new record auction, Goncharova was officially declared the most expensive artist in the world, but the exposure of the Moscow exhibition shows: her heritage is not only painting, but also theater, and work with fashionable clothes. And none of these stories can be considered of secondary importance.

Baggy men’s trousers, white shirt, on top of which the volume jacket, a cap on her head. The photograph in 1913, where Goncharova is working on the sets for “The Golden Cockerel” in the studio, is more reminiscent of Coco Chanel of the same time. Keep in mind that Chanel achieved her revolution in fashion in advanced French and Goncharova allowed herself a similar style in the conservative Russia.

Goncharova, with all the details and the ups and downs of her female, human and professional destiny, perfectly describes the century of disasters and extremes. Her father was the great-nephew of the younger brother of Natalia Goncharova, Pushkin’s wife. Up to ten years she lived in the province of Tula, in the village. The charm of peasant life and crafts is visible in all that Goncharova did throughout her career. Bright outdoor color, deliberate roughness of shape, energetic lines and stout composition.

She studied a profession of a sculptor, which gave her the exact sense and knowledge of the human body, the shape of objects and craft skills, habits of manual labor, which she loved as a child. But the sculpture could not transmit light and color, the fragility and tenderness. So she once gave up sculpture in favor of painting.

The exhibition shows paintings and drawings for productions of “Russian Seasons” in Paris, costumes and fabrics for fashion houses, book illustrations. Most works were provided for the Tretyakov Gallery by 23 domestic and foreign museums and private collections, including Georges Pompidou Centre in Paris, Fashion Galleria Museum, the Ludwig Museum in Cologne, Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum, and others.

The first solo exhibition Natalia Goncharova held exactly one hundred years ago, in 1913, in the Mikhailov’s studio in Moscow. The artist was only thirty-two years old, but the exposure to modern standards was gigantic – eight hundred works.

About the fact that Goncharova made ​​fashion sketches is well known – unknown only circumstances and customers. In France, Goncharova collaborated with fashion houses and magazines (one of the dresses for the exhibition at the Tretyakov Gallery was brought from Paris Fashion Museum Gallery). Still her fashion work in Paris is shrouded in mystery. Under whose orders she worked, for whom drew sketches of embroidery? Different names, up to Chanel were mentioned.

Natalia Goncharova Between East and West exhibition

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