spring in the Museum Jane Vurhis Tsimmerli (Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Museum) in New Brunswick (New Jersey) An exhibition of works of outstanding Russian artist Boris Sveshnikov (1927-1998). You can see paintings and graphic works created from 1940 to 1961, including the famous camp pictures.

Sveshnikov - one of the most famous Russian artists who have gulag. In 1946, the 19-year-old student of the Institute of Applied and Decorative Arts has been accused in the preparation of the assassination of Stalin and received eight years of the camps. Along with him was convicted of another artist, the future recusant Leo Kropiwnicki , as well as a few people. Of all «conspirators» Sveshnikov was familiar only with Kropiwnicki, therefore, received less than all the rest.

The young artist spent a year in prison. Then he was sent to Uhtizhemlag (Komi Republic), which held about two and a half years. Living and working conditions were nightmarish prisoners: they had to cut wood and dig the land for ten - twelve hours a day, regardless of any weather conditions. A night in the barracks at the scrap of paper Sveshnikov painted his amazing vision. Like many artists, past the camp (the same Kropiwnicki), the artist abandoned the realism of images of tragedy that it had to be postponed. In his paintings you can see the camp «reality» - barracks, stockade, grim taiga - in the neighborhood with strange, frightening characters and fantastic chimeras. Sveshnikov creating a parallel universe, where there is no usual logic, no laws, invented in our world.

Hunger and inhuman work led to the Sveshnikov ill dystrophy. He was sent to die in the camp hospital, where lived a miserable age are the same as it dohodyagi. But thanks to the help of family friend, Nicholas Tikhonovich geologist, the artist moved to disability camp Vetlosyan where Sveshnikov joined watchman. In his den, he painted, and later became a paint. Native sometimes sent him material things perepadalo of camp painting workshop. Thus emerged the famous camp drawings, executed on an ordinary sheet of the album. The artist does not imply that his work will ever be destined to go beyond the camp, but due to some acquaintances, he was able to transfer them to freedom. In 1954, Sveshnikov was released, and two years later - rehabilitated.

After Sveshnikov camps to earn a living primarily as an illustrator. However, he wrote in his paintings «firm» style fantastic realism. Tragic magic visions, which he depicted in his drawings of camp, do not let him. In the later period of creativity Sveshnikov turned to pointillism.

painter considered one of the main representatives recusancy, although the art which he created a very personal and far from any politics. As the artist said: «What I wrote at home, I wrote for themselves ... All my work dedicated to the grave».

exhibition of early works Sveshnikova last until October 12. All the works exhibited in, come from the Norton and Nancy Dodge (Norton and Nancy Dodge). Spouses Dodge collected one of the world's best collections of Nonconformist Art from the Soviet Union, numbering about 17 thousand works. Collection is now in the museum Tsimmerli.

Material prepared Yulia Maksimova

Sources: zimmerlimuseum.rutgers . edu , index.org.ru , artinvestment.ru