Helium Korzhev in the Tretyakov gallery
ARTinvestment.RU   21 марта 2016

On March 23 at the Tretyakov gallery opens the first major monographic exhibition of Helium Mikhailovich Korzheva (1925-2012), the last of the great Russian realist of the XX century. In the exhibition 30 120 picturesque and graphic works

the State Tretyakov Gallery
23 March — on 13 June 2016
Moscow, St. Krimsky Val, 10, halls 60-61

In the Tretyakov gallery in Krymsky Val opens on March 23 monographic exhibition of Helium Mikhailovich Korzheva (1925-2012), the last of the great Russian realist of the XX century. In the exhibition 30 120 picturesque and graphic works.

Korzh — is one of the most powerful figures in Russian art, a complex and contradictory personality. The representative of the postwar generation, he burst into the art scene in the late 1950-х of years and has become one of the leaders of the legendary sixties.

Features of the era, the uniqueness of the strong and independent character of the artist, his voluntary seclusion and away from any publicity in the last decades of his life were not allowed to organize showings of his work. It so happened that, being one of the most famous painters 1960-80-х years and working intensely until the last days of life, Korzhev was almost unknown to several generations of viewers and professionals. The first large-scale exhibition of the artist will be a real breakthrough in the study of his art, will open for our contemporaries an incredible world of images in the works Korzheva and enrich ideas about the art of the second half of the twentieth century.

the Idea of the exhibition Korzheva lived in the Gallery for many years, but only now managed to realize this project. The exhibition displays the works chronologically, covering the entire career of the wizard — from 1943 to 2011. However, in many respects experimental exhibition project is not a traditional academic perspective and authorial, curatorial perspective on the art of the master, aiming to identify the most important meanings that the artist is consciously or unconsciously reflected in his works, that in his creative credo close to the modern audience.

the Architecture of the exposition, in some sections intentionally uncomfortable for the visitor, completely transforms the space of the largest halls of the Museum. She draws, and often exacerbates hard artistic expression Korzheva, the horrible truth of those bitter truths that were discovered and for the viewer, this completely non-standard painter. Thus, the project will allow the viewer to abandon the usual clichés and find a new interpretation of the art Korzheva.

Always, even in times when Korzhev held high positions in the Union of artists, he developed only the motives and solve the artistic problem which put before itself, without regard to the official doctrine. Korzhev is very accurately reflected the time that had lived and experienced together with the whole country. The exhibition presents all the main line heritage of the master. In software paintings "the Lovers" (1959, state Russian Museum), "the Artist" (1961, Tretyakov gallery), in the triptych "Communists" (1957-1960, RM), in a series of "Scorched by the war fire" (1962-1985), he expressed a new perspective on the fate of the Soviet people and on the artist's personality, creating a scenic manifest generation era of "thaw".

Through in the works Korzheva motif of the fall ("Inverted", 1976; "Egor-летун", 1976-1980) allowed the artist to reflect on the difficulties of choosing a path, life position and an almost inevitable tragic finale when you try to make a breakthrough, to rise above the ordinary.

"Rustic" and "social" still life Korzheva always remained for him not only as a creative laboratory but also a precise expression of time ("Glass of milk", 1984; GTG; "Social still life", 1992, private collection, USA).

In 1970-80-х years in the works Korzheva work that gave rise to your series devoted to don Quixote, whose image he has added features and character of the father. During these years, Korzhev turned to the forms phantasmagoria: among his characters have any macabre creatures — turlini. So the artist has expressed their understanding of the changes that carried the time, especially in 1990-е years. In the paintings with these creatures visible allusions, referring to the paintings of the House of the deaf man F. Goya, the interpretation of the theme "the Temptation of St. Anthony". In the loop with curlicue tragic world-view expressed with irony and deep sarcasm.

At the turn of the century much attention the artist paid to the problem of social degradation of man ("get up, Ivan!", 1997; "For three", 1998;, "Garbage", 2007, all — IRRI; "A. Adam and eve Petrovna", 1996-1998, private collection).

an Important direction in the works Korzheva was an appeal to biblical plots ("the Annunciation", 1987-1991, private collection, Moscow). Such canvases as "Judas" (1987-1993, private collection, USA), reflected the opinion of the painter in the drama of the era of perestroika. In recent years the master worked on philosophical paintings-завещаниями "the Fall of the first parents (Adam and eve)" (1997-2000), "Deprived of Paradise" (1998, both — private collection, USA), "the Prophet" (2011, collection of the artist's family, Moscow).

Typical plastic techniques masters — blow up, enlarged scale, accentuated naturalism, excessive picturesqueness — exacerbate semantic content and the power of the represented. Korzhev proposed a special version of figurative art. Characteristic active artistic delivery, direct statement cause the strongest emotional response of the viewer. It is already obvious that the works Korzheva consonant with the work of contemporary European painters, adherents of conceptual realism (for example, Lucian Freud), and indicate the existence of unexpected Parallels between Soviet and Western art.

Acquaintance with the works Korzheva — is difficult, but necessary experience of talking to severe, often painful themes: the tragedy of the great Patriotic war, the tectonic upheavals of social and political reality at the end of the century, frustration and loneliness, the drama of life and the unknown of what will happen to a person behind her face. Art Korzheva reveals the story of human trauma and rebirth, is the amazing examples of the power of the spirit, will, desire to live and win. On the Korzhev exhibition will appear before the audience as an artist of epic talents, which appealed to the "eternal" themes and human stories, always staying strong, but lonely hero, hermit and prophet, who carried the people of his message and perhaps the only one who could tell the world the truth.

the exhibition published fundamental catalogue. Prepared an extensive educational program that includes lectures, excursions with experts, film screenings.

curators of the exhibition N. Alexandrova, F. Balakhovskaya, L. Smirnova, T. Kruzhkov.

the Collection-участники: State Tretyakov gallery, State Russian Museum, the Institute of Russian realist art, the collection of Raymond Johnson (USA), collection of the artist's family and the Foundation of historical and cultural heritage of Helium Korzheva, regional museums of Russia, private collections.

Source: press-релиз GTG