GALADZHEV Piotr Stepanovich

December 28, 1900 (Staryi Krym) — October 5, 1971 (Moscow)

Painter, graphic artist, scene-designer, actor

Piotr Galadzhev studied at the Central Stroganov School of Industrial Art — the First State Art Workshops — the Higher State Artistic and Technical Workshops (VKhUTEMAS, 1909–1920), at the faculty of graphic art under the guidance of V. A. Favorsky and D. A. Shcherbinovsky. At the same time Galadzhev studied acting technique in the studio of the Union of workers’ organizations for art and public education, under the guidance of F. F. Komissarzhevsky and in the studio of L. V. Kuleshov in the State School of Cinematography (1923–1925).

Galadzhev lived in Moscow. Since 1915 he worked as a scene-designer; for the first time he assisted the artist in design at the S. Zimin’s Free Opera, later he worked on his own. In 1919 Galadzhev worked as an actor at the Safonov’s Theatre. At the same time he was engaged in easel painting, book and magazine graphic art. He created caricatures, sketches for book covers. Galadzhev also collaborated with different Moscow magazines and newspapers, in particular Sovetsky Ekran (“Soviet Screen”), Zrelishcha (“Circuses”). In art Galadzhev was interested in suprematism and constructivism (1920s — early 1930s); he created concave reliefs and photo collages. Galadzhev didn’t take an active part in exhibitions. In 1926 he exposed his works at the First exhibition of graphic art in the House of Press in Mosocw.

Since 1922 Galadzhev worked as an actor in cinema, an assistant of director, a director and a scene-designer. In 1924 he made his début acting judge Bolshevik in the film The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr. West in the Land of the Bolsheviks by Lev Kuleshov. Since 1940 Galadzhev worked as an actor and production designer in the Gorky Film Studio, since 1942 — deputy art director of the film studio. During his cinematographic work, Galadzhev acted in 36 films; as a director he made 3 films; he designed more than 50 motion pictures.

In 1965 Galadzhev was conferred title of the Honoured Artist of the RSFSR (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic). In 1971 he was awarded the State Prize of USSR for the film At the Lake.

Exhibitions of Galadzhev’s works were held in Moscow (1990, 2003) and in Cologne (1995).