MMSI, January 24 - February 23, 2014
Moscow, Tver Boulevard, 9

Moscow Museum of modern Art in conjunction with the Gallery " Vellum " presents the first solo exhibition in Moscow Ilya Ilya L. Tabenkin , dated the 100th anniversary of the artist. The exhibition presents more than 100 works, including how to make him famous abstract still lifes years 1970-80 and earlier figurative paintings and objects made ​​of papier -mache .

ILYA Tabenkin Still. 1970 Oil on canvas Source : Press Release MMSI

ILYA Tabenkin Still. 1970 Oil on canvas Source : Press Release MMSI

Tabenkin Ilya (1914-1988) was born in the Belarusian town of Mozyr. At seventeen, he entered the Moscow Art College of 1905. In 1934 he was arrested for what he sent to prison camps friend paint. Then prison camp link . In 1943, he was hiding a criminal record , he entered the Moscow Art Institute named after VI Surikov , who was evacuated to Samarkand. After his graduation he worked for Tabenkin art plant and joined the Union of Artists of the USSR .

During this period, the artist works in line with the traditional Moscow school , creates landscapes representing contemplative pictures of Russian life . Recalls the artist's son Leo, " was not included in Tabenkin youth circles in which nonconformist art was conceived ... Social revolt and dominant position in the culture has never been his goal - one only art ».

In 1960 Tabenkin makes first formalist work , where the main becomes the color that is a means of conveying emotional experiences close to a mystical vision of the world . In 1968, along with the artist Carl Friedman , Victor Popkov and Rastorguev is involved in exhibition " Group of sixteen ." In the sixties Tabenkin still is figurative , but at the turn of the sixties - seventies he radically changes the creative paradigm : Tabenkin drawn to the genre of abstract still life. Approaching the turn of threescore years , he begins an artistic way again and gets a bright and innovative style .

ILYA Tabenkin Red and green . 1980 Oil on canvas. 54 × 79 Source : Press Release MMSI

Genesis his abstract still lifes, unique in the domestic arts , continues to cause controversy among critics and artists. Tabenkin himself spoke about the impact of Zurbaran and J. F. Morandi. The wizard was compared with the work of Paul P. Kuznetsova , R. Falk , Vladimir G. V. Weisberg and even with architectural sketches . At the same time his work appreciated Popkov , it is no accident : Tabenkin still lifes can be viewed as radical manifestations of the "severe style ».

Recognition came to the artist in 1988 : his works were selected by experts Sotheby `s participation in the famous auction of Russian art in Moscow . Shortly thereafter, he was gone. But we , after a quarter century , has yet to discover the works of this master .

released to coincide with the exhibition of the book " Ilya Tabenkin . The artist's thoughts . Testimonies relatives. Memoirs of contemporaries , " which will include never previously unpublished materials .

Source : Press Release MMSI