ART EXHIBITION CATALOGS AND SURVEYS

Offered here are 15 publications spanning from 1917 to 1973 covering art exhibitions and commentary from the pre-revolutionary, avant-garde and Socialist Realism periods.

Grishchenko, A. Questions of Painting. The "Crisis in Art" and Contemporary Painting. Vopros' zhivopisi. "Krizis iskusstva" i sovremennaia zhivopis. 1917. Cover image of Picasso's Man with a Clarinet. Discussion of lecture by N. Berdyayev regarding the cultural impact of emerging modern art movements. "Net proceeds of this publication to the Moscow Art Studio Fund to help artists who are victims of the war." Fourth of four issues. Paper wraps with moderate handling, otherwise VG. City Printing House Moscow. Tirage not stated. 30 pp. 10 x 6 1/2". $650.

OST (Society of Easel Painters). OCT (Obshchestvo khudozhnikov-stankovistov). Catalog for the second of the group's four exhibitions. Exhibition opened on May 3, 1926 at the State Central Museum in Moscow with 26 artists participating and 280 painting and graphic works shown. Contributors included Konstantin Vialov, Aleksandr Deineka, Nikolai Denisovsky, Yuri Pimenov and David Shterenberg. Interestingly, the exhibitors are listed with their addresses and telephone numbers. OST existed from 1925-32 and while following political messaging of the time, OST distinguished itself from other avant-garde movements with its painterly style. Paper wraps, overall VG with pen marking at upper left front cover and small stain at right corner. MOTOR Publishing House. Moscow. Tirage, 1,000. 16 pp. with 9 illustrations. 6 3/4 x 5". $450.

IZORAM. Art of Leningrad's Working Youth. Izo rabochei molodezhi Leningrada. 1929. The catalog for this exhibition held at Moscow's State Tretiakov Gallery came on the heels of it traveling from Leningrad's State Russian Museum in 1928. IZORAM's umbrella covered amateur art circles from factory clubs, Houses of Culture, educational and youth organizations. This catalog begins with the mission statement, "IZO-RAM and AMATEUR ART--On the frontier of contemporary visual arts, the field of amateur workers' art is one of the most important, responsible and challenging. This is not only true of art's socio-political role, but also in terms of its own development. Essential to the entire construction of socialist culture, amateur mass activity is crucial for art." The exhibition contained 186 artworks with this catalog featuring illustrations in various media with a modernist style. Moisei Brodsky was head of IZORAM and provided the text for this catalog. Paper wraps in near fine condition. State Tretiakov Gallery. Moscow. Tirage, 2,000. 72 pp. 5 1/4 x 6 3/8. $775.

V. Lebedev. B. Lebedev. 1928. Catalog for the exhibition including 352 items of Vladimir Lebedev's works from 1920-28 at Leningrad's State Russian Museum. Introduction by Nikolai Punin. While Lebedev is best known for his children's book illustrations, this catalog lists his other painting and graphic work. Paper wraps, covers show handling and small stain at upper front cover, rear cover with book dealer's stamps and small owner's stamp at title page. Internally near fine. State Russian Museum. Leningrad. Tirage, 1,500. 72 pp. 7 x 5 1/2". $225.

Exhibition of Works by K. S. Malevich. Vystavka proizvedenii K. S. Malevicha. 1929. Kasimir Malevich's last one person exhibition for which he created post-Suprematist works, later confiscated. Full page illustration of Malevich's "Haymaking". Paper wraps with handling and faint staining at front cover. State Tretiakov Gallery. Moscow. Tirage, 1,000. 12 pp. 6 3/4 x 5". $1,450.

20 Years of Work Mayakovsky. 20 let raboty Mayakovskogo. February 1930 at House of the Federation of Soviet Writers, Moscow. Two vintage photos (c. late 1930s) of the exhibition with reference notations and stamps on reverse. This exhibition consisted of 364 items of Mayakovsky's works. The exhibited material was largely gathered and staged by Mayakovsky himself at a time when his influence waned and was shortly before his suicide. The exhibition was not well-received such that a catalog was not printed and the one produced was in simple stencil form. Many of the Moscow literary and political toffs were invited to the opening but their absence was notable; instead many young people attended the exhibition. Images of the exhibition are few, such that the two photos offered here were not widely, if ever, published. Facsimile copy of the exhibition catalog included. Photos, 6 1/2 x 8 7/8" and 6 3/4 x 9", respectively. $575 for the pair of photos and facsimile catalog.

Catalog for the Anti-Imperialist Exhibition. Katalog antiimperialisticheskoy vystavki. 1931. Exhibition organized by the Federation of Soviet Artists' Associations held at the Park of Culture and Rest and dedicated to International Red Day. Massive exhibition including 476 works by 175 Russian and Western artists, including Gustav Klutsis, Aleksandr Deineka, Yuri Pimenov, Vladimir Lebedev, Dmitri Moor, William Gropper. Paper wraps with moderate handling. Ogiz-Izogiz. Moscow. Tirage, 3,000. 80 pp., including 11 full-page illustrations. Note Klutsis poster announcing the event. 7 x 5". $675.

Izofront. Class Struggle of the Front of Spacial Art. Izofront. Klassovaia bor'ba na fronte prostanstovennykh iskusstv. 1931. Collection of articles by the October Group that spoke to the tensions between members' modernist work and the emerging principals of Socialist Realism such that the group disbanded shortly after this publication. Illustrations by Gustav Klutsis, Valentina Kulagina, John Heartfield and others. Dust jacket with minor professional repairs over hardback covers, otherwise fine condition. Ogiz-Igogiz. Moscow. Tirage, 5,000. 162 pp. 6 3/4 x 5. $2,500.

Artists of the Russian Federation in 15 Years, Catalog of the Anniversary Exhibition. Khudozhiniki RSFSR za 15 let, Katalog Yubileynoy. 1932. Opening on November 13, 1932 in Leningrad's State Russian Museum, this was one of the largest and important Soviet exhibition of painting, graphics, sculpture and porcelain during the transition from individual avant-garde groups to the rise of the Socialist Realism style. 357 artists participated, 2,824 works were shown. Listed in the catalog are 29 of Kasimir Malevich's paintings and objects including the Black Square and other Suprematist works. This was one of the last times Malevich's Suprematist works were exhibited during his lifetime. Paper wraps, VG with minor handling and vintage book dealer's stamp on rear cover. State Russian Museum. Leningrad. Tirage, 10,000. 120 pp. 6 x 4 1/4". $800.

Leningrad IZORAM. Leningradskii IZORAM. 1932. This catalog states, "The Leningrad IZORAM grew out of amateur workers' art circles; its staff was recruited from the ranks of young workers directly connected with production and who had begun to acquire their artistic skills in the practice of club work. The first exhibition (Leningrad, 1928) of the core of circle members from which the Leningrad IZORAM was organized, with its thematic plan and its aims to serve the club's cultural and propagandistic work, clearly speaks of this connection. Mastering font, slogan design, the execution of posters, simple and complex placards, sketches for carnivals and for stage areas, decorative emblems and mastery of the pictorial elements of more complex compositions intended for various (specific) clubs - these are the tasks that the circle members, led by the artist Moisei Brodsky, set for themselves and the solution of which was demonstrated at this exhibition." Ed., I. Matsa. Paper wraps with illustrations of artworks in various media. Near VG with handling throughout. Izogiz. Moscow. Tirage, 4,500. 42 pp. 8 1/4 x 6". $850.

Printing and Graphic Arts in 15 Years. Pechat' i Poligrafiya za 15 let. 1933. This catalog provides an overview of this exhibition at the Leningrad Academy of Arts on technical aspects of the printing process in the USSR. Card stock covers, near fine condition with a few pages shaken. Publication of the Leningrad City Committee. Leningrad. Tirage, 1,000. 64 pp. with 4 full page illustrations. 7 5/8 x 5". $375.

John Heartfield. Dzhon Khartfil'd. (1891-1968). 1958. Catalog for retrospective exhibition at Gorky Park showing 370 items. The master of photomontage, Heartfield first came to the Soviet Union in 1931 and was influential with Russian artists working in that format. Indeed, Heartfield designed the 1931 #12 Soviet Petroleum issue of the photo journal, USSR in Construction (1930-41), that until then largely consisted of still photographs. After Heartfield's influence, that journal adopted photomontage and themed issues for the remainder of its publication. This exhibition was sponsored by the Union of Artists of the USSR, Union of Artists of Germany and the German Academy of Arts. Vintage photograph of the exhibition hall included. Paper wraps with moderate handling. Soviet Artists. Moscow. Tirage, 2,000. 44 pp. of text with 28 pp. of illustrations primarily from AIZ. 8 1/2 x 6 3/4", catalog; 3 5/8 x 4 3/4", photograph. $350 for the pair.

Invitation for Aleksandr Rodchenko (1891-1956) retrospective exhibition at the Central House of Writers on the 70th anniversary of his birth. 1961. On display were posters, advertising, theater designs, book designs, graphics and photography. This exhibition signaled renewed interest in Rodchenko's wide-ranging legacy and modernist styles. Two-sided fold-over card stock. Central House of Writers. Moscow. Tirage, 700. 6 x 8 1/2" unfolded. $150.

Invitation for Aleksandr Vesnin (1883-1959) retrospective exhibition of paintings and theater design at the Central House of Architects. 1961. Vesnin was an early Constructivist artist, contributing to the 1921 5 x 5 exhibition along with Lyubov Popova, Aleksandr Rodchenko, Vavara Stepanova and Aleksandra Ekster. He was a founder along with Moisei Ginzburg of the OSA Group that published the Constructivist architectural journal, Sovremennaia arkhitiektura (SA). Two-sided fold-over card stock. Central House of Architects. Moscow. Tirage, 1,000. 6 x 8 1/2" unfolded. $150.

Boris Ignatovich: Art Photography Exhibition Catalog. 1973. In publisher's illustrated covers and full page photo illustrations. Text in Lithuanian and Russian. Boris Ignatovich along his wife, Elizaveta Ignatovich and sister, Olga Ignatovich comprised the Ignatovich Brigade and were prolific individually and collectively producing art photography and contributing to publications like Soviet Foto, Prozhektor, Krasnaya Niva and USSR in Construction. He was also a leading member of the photographic section of the Oktober Group. Ignatovich served as a war correspondent on the Eastern Front. Paper wraps, some wear with copy showing slight tilt. Vilnius Society of Photographic Arts of the Lithuanian SSSR. Vilnius. Tirage, 3,000. 24 pp. 8 1/2 x 9". $175.