ZDANEVICH Kirill Mikhailovich

July 20, 1892 (Kodjori, near Tiflis) — September 1, 1969 (Tbilisi)

Painter, graphic artist, scene-designer, art critic

Zdanevich was born to a family of French teacher, Pole by birth, and the Georgian pianist. Zdanevich was a brother of the poet and artist Ilya Zdanevich. He finished the 1st Tiflis Gymnasium (1911). In late 1900s — early 1910s he studied under K. Sklifosofsky at the School of Painting and Sculpture of the Caucasian Society for Encouragement of Fine Arts in Tiflis.

In 1912 Zdanevich moved to St. Petersburg, where he entered the Higher Art Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture under the Imperial Academy of Arts (did not graduate). Later he became friends with representatives of avant-garde: M. Le Dantu, M. Larionov, N. Goncharova and others. He contacted with the Union of Youth. In 1912 Zdanevich together with Le Dantu travelled through the Caucasus, where he met N. Pirosmanishvili. Zdanevich popularized his artworks in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Zdanevich participated in the exhibitions Osliniy khvost (“Donkey’s Tail”, 1912), Mishen (“The Target”, 1913), No. 4 (1914) in Moscow. In 1913 he signed a manifesto Rayonists and Russian Futurists.

In 1912–1914 Zdanevich lived in Paris, worked at A. Archipenko’s studio. He became friends with S. I. Charchoune. In 1914 he was called up for military service and returned to Russia. After the demobilization, he lived in Tiflis (1917–1920, since 1922) and in Constantinople (1920–1921); in 1920 he visited Paris. Zdanevich painted portraits, landscapes and still lifes. He worked a lot in the technique of gouache, tempera and watercolor. He was also engaged in book illustration, monumental painting and theatre scene design (in the Theatre named after Sh. Rustaveli). He also published articles on Pirosmanishvili’s artworks.

Zdanevich participated in activities of Georgian futurists; he was a member of the association Syndicate of Futurists; he was also one of the organizers (together with Ilya Zdanevich, A. E. Kruchenych, and I. G. Terentiev) of the futuristic group 41о (“41 degrees”).  He also developed the theories of orchestral painting and everythingness.

Zdanevich participated in the exhibition in Batumi (1922), exhibition of art section Ayartuna in Tiflis (1925), jubilee exhibition of USSR art in Moscow (1927). Personal exhibitions of the artist were held in Tiflis–Tbilisi (1917, 1962).

In 1949 Zdanevich was arrested on charges of parricide and was sentenced to 15 years of prison camps. He served his time at the Dubravlag of Mordovia ASSR (Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic). In February 1957 he was released, in March of the same year he was rehabilitated and returned to Tbilisi.

In last years of his life, Zdanevich was engaged in book design and theatre scene design. He published a monograph N. Pirosmanishvili (M., 1963). In 1963 he was conferred the title of Honored Art Worker of the Georgian SSR (Soviet Socialist Republic). In 1964 he visited Paris, created a series of works Paris in the Eyes of an Artist.

Zdanevich was one of the most significant representatives of the Russian Avant-garde. In his works he combined traits of cubism, futurism, neo-primitivism and folk art.

Works by Kirill Zdanevich are in many museum collections, including the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts.