History and culture: The exhibition “Russian Avant-Garde: capitals and province” in Saratov

The exhibition “The Russian Avant-Garde: capitals and province” is opened on October 8, 2015 in the Radishchev Museum (Saratov).

The exhibition includes paintings and graphic works, sculpture, porcelain and prints of the first decades of the twentieth century. This was the era of daring art experiences, when was happened the destruction of stereotypes and were actively developed searches of new forms, were emerged different art directions and grouping. The collection of avant-garde art of the Radishchev Museum includes more than 200 paintings, original and prints, sculptures and books. It is composed by two main streams of revenues: in 1920 - from the authors and from the State Museum Fund, in 1960-1970 - from the heirs of artists and private collectors. Along with the works from the collection of the A. N. Radishchev Saratov State Art Museum the exhibition includes paintings from the gallery of the Volsky Regional Museum.

The exposition gives idea of the development of Russian Art Culture of 1910-1920s – from the works of artists to dare experiments of masters of the abstract art. The exhibition shows works by Olga Rozanova, Leo Ziperson, Vera Pestel, Alexander Exter, Boris Ender, who left an imprint in the avant-garde movement of the era.

A separate block shows art search of Saratov painters and graphic artists. Of those who stood at the origins of the Saratov avant-garde the museum collections more completely presents works by Valentin Yustitsky.

The section of decorative art includes examples of "propaganda porcelain" with revolutionary slogans and symbols. The first designs appeared in the autumn of 1918. The leading role in creating a new style belongs to Sergei Chekhonin, who laid the foundations of propaganda porcelain of decorative style based on a combination of symbolic images or logos and their explanatory inscriptions.

The exhibition "Avant-Garde: capitals and province" gives an opportunity to understand what the idealists and romantics sought for in 1920s, piously believed in the noble mission of art and its ability to create a new perfect world.