GOTKO James (Gotkovsky Yankel, Jacques) (Jacques Gotko)

1900 (Odessa) — January 1944 (Auschwitz, Poland)

Painter, graphic artist and theater actor, architect

From the family of the worker. In childhood together with his family fled Jewish pogroms in Paris (1905), where the artist's father got a job working at the FIAT factory. He studied architecture and design at the School of fine arts at М. Громера.

after that he worked as an architect; then — set designer in theater and film. Independently and in collaboration with other artists has performed sketches of costumes and scenery for the film: "Joli monde" Le Henaff R., "divine" М. Офюльса (both — 1935), "À nous deux, madame la vie" И. Миранде and Р. Гуиссара (1937, with Ж. Вакевичем).

In 1935 he settled in the small town of Charente in the South of France, where he devoted himself entirely to easel painting and graphics. Executed portraits, landscapes, still lifes, genre scenes; was engaged in woodcut, linocut, lithography. He exhibited his easel in the salon of independents (1921-1939, with interruptions), Autumn (1927, 1937) and other group exhibitions. Held a personal exhibition in Paris gallery "Jean Castel" (1939).

In July 1941 he was arrested as a Russian, in a few days released. Soon rearrested as a Jew, placed in the camp of Compiegne, then transferred to the camp of Drancy in July 1943 — to Auschwitz. In the camps continued to make art — executed a number of woodcuts, a series of drawings and watercolors. Together with А.-И. Берлиным and И. Л. Кишкой arranged in camp Drancy (?) an exhibition of works by three artists. Died in a concentration camp.

the Work was exhibited by the Museum of Jewish art in Paris at the exhibition of artists and sculptors, who died in deportation (1955, the gallery "Zak").

Work is represented in several Museum collections, including the Museum of modern art in Paris.