Artists Kukryniksy: composition and biography of the collective, paintings

The creative association of artists Kukryniksy, famous for its satirical works in the 30-40s of the XX century, is almost unknown to new generations today. The artists played an important role in the culture and politics of the Soviet Union.

VHUTEMAS - meeting point

Higher artistic and technical workshops, created in 1920 and known to the whole world as VHUTEMAS, produced a large number of designers and artists who significantly influenced not only Soviet culture but also left a mark on the world art.

In particular, the Kukryniksy artists began their journey here, who came here in different ways and from different places, but with one goal - to learn how to create the beautiful. Mikhail Kupriyanov and Porphyry Krylov met in 1922, working on the issues of VHUTEMAS wall newspaper "Arapoddel". They signed their work with the reduction of the Cuckoo and the Krykup. Later they were joined by a student-rookie Nikolai Sokolov, who had long ago signed his works as Nyx. So there was the famous Kukryniksy group. Students united not only love of art, but also a common worldview. Their element was laughter, they subtly noticed humorous dashes in the surrounding reality, and this became their starting point in cooperation.

Commonwealth of like-minded people

Kukryniksy artists are a unique phenomenon in the world culture. Simultaneous work on the works required them to have close ties and closeness in their views. They were united by a creative platform - they tried to notice the funny and express it in the drawings. V.Mayakovsky played an important role in the formation of the commonwealth, he embodied their thoughts and moods. His "Window of Satire Growth" became a real university for cartoonists. The poet also drew attention to an interesting team and invited them to complete the production of the "Bedbug", later they would create a series of sketches for this work. In this work the features of their artistic method crystallized, they drew Mayakovsky's courage, accuracy and topicality.

The biography of the collective is connected with the creation of a unique phenomenon in the visual arts, it was called the "positive satire". The second person who played the most important role in the formation of the Kukryniks was Gorky. He not only helped them find a job, but also instructed them on the right ideological path. It was he who encouraged their interest in politics and helped to understand the party's line. The main in their work became truly satirical works - mocking and sarcastic. For several decades, from the mid-20s to the late 90's, the artists were closely friends, and this allowed them to create together.

Artistic method of Kukryniksy

Artists Kukryniksy were able to create a unique method of work on the work. Creative groups existed before them, but those in which all creative individualities were erased in the name of the collective "I" of the artist, did not happen. They worked in such a way that the potential of each creator was most fully embodied in the final work. As a result of close unity a recognizable satirical style of artists emerged, which was most fully realized in posters and caricatures, but is also discernible in paintings. They worked on the work in turn, the drawing went around in a circle, each brought in its own strokes, and a collective product was obtained.

Kukryniksy always adhered to two principles: nationality and party spirit. They understood art as serving the Motherland, and they carried the heroic spirit of the era of the 1920s through all their creative life.

Milestones of the creative path

Kukryniksy began to work together as cartoonists in the famous wall newspaper "Arapoddel", which sharply ridiculed cosmopolitans and formalists, implementing the party line. Since 1924, they are beginning to engage in illustrations for literary works. They illustrated young writers and even developed a genre such as graphic criticism. Maxim Gorky drew attention to unusual illustrators and advised them to draw more themes for art from life, and not just from literature. In the late 1920s, Kukryniksy's cartoons were printed in all literary journals, they were drawing close to many writers. They exposed literary vices: boredom, zaum, formalism. And today many of their cartoons have not lost relevance.

Since 1925, the group has been actively cooperating with the Soviet media, publishing there tart caricatures of social ills. Gradually, their glory grew, and every reader, when opening a newspaper, looked first for these drawings. During this period, their technique is sharpened, especially the drawings are made with ink, and the cartoon, sarcastic feed attracts its atypical for the Soviet press sharpness. Their series, such as "Transport" in the newspaper "Pravda", brought them serious fame. They become the mouthpiece of the era.

In the pre-war years the Kukryniksy find themselves in a new genre - a political poster. During the war years, it becomes a real weapon against the enemy. Kukryniksy, whose posters helped the people of the Soviet Union in the most difficult times, became a powerful ideological instrument of power. Their poster "Ruthlessly Defeat and Destroy the Enemy!" Appeared on the streets of the country as early as June 1941. They served the Motherland and went through the whole war with the soldiers in the form of posters and leaflets. They also worked in the project "Windows TASS", which, in the form of a poster, covered the news and supported the morale of the nation. After the war, they received accreditation for the Nuremberg trial and conducted their sarcastic report. Kukryniksy became real classics of the Soviet caricature, they were known all over the world, they received many professional awards.

The third direction in which Kukryniksy worked was painting. They wrote genre paintings, portraits, paintings on historical themes, laying the foundations of a new direction in art - socialist realism. During the restoration of the country, Kukryniksy works a lot in the press, engages in book graphics, and writes pictures. In the 60's they create a large number of illustrations to the Russian classics. In this case, each artist creates and independently. In the 80-90-ies due to age artists work less, but their creative union did not fall apart until the end of life.

Significant works of Kukryniksy

Artists Kukryniksy were very productive, from under their pencil and a brush there were many remarkable works. The most notable were: a series of satirical portraits "The Face of the Enemy", combining the expressive possibilities of the poster and easel painting, the triptych "The Old Masters", illustrations for the collection of Gogol's works and works by Gorky, Saltykov-Shchedrin, Ilf and Petrov, and numerous posters of the war years. The latter include "The Museum of the Battered," "The Plan for Encircling and Taking Moscow," "The Duty of Payment Is Red," as well as the paintings "Tanya", "The Flight of the Germans from Novgorod," "The End."

Exhibitions and Heritage of Kukryniksy

In 1932, the first Kukryniksy exhibition was held, organized by Maxim Gorky. Here, political and everyday caricature, painting, and book graphics were presented. In 1952, a significant exhibition took place at the Academy of Arts of the USSR, at which the work of Kukryniksy was widely and fully represented, as well as the autonomous works of artists who are members of the association. In 2008, the retrospective exhibition Kukryniksy was held.

Artists-caricaturists, whose heritage is closely connected with the history of the Soviet state, repeatedly received the highest state awards and prizes. Their work is stored in the largest museums in Russia.

The creative path of Mikhail Kupriyanov

Mikhail Kupriyanov was born in the small town of Tetyushi on the Volga. Since childhood he liked to draw, he studied in Tashkent in the Central Art Studios, where he was sent on a youth tour. For special success in school, he was sent to study in Moscow in VHUTEMAS, where he became a member of the Kukryniksy.

Kupriyanov's independent creative life was successful, he realized himself as a painter. He loved the landscape genre. Today, his series of paintings with views of Leningrad, the Caspian Sea and the Moscow region are known.

He graduated from his life in 1991.

Artist Porfiry Krylov

The second member of the Kukryniksy community - Porphyry Krylov was born in Tula. Since childhood he showed artistic ability, studied in art studio, then entered VHUTEMAS. In addition to his work in Kukryniksy, he worked as a painter, painted portraits, landscapes, still lifes. His works are in the collections of many museums around the world. In Tula his house-museum was opened.

Porfiry Nikitich died in 1990.

Creative biography of Nikolai Sokolov

Muscovite Nikolai Sokolov studied in the art studio Proletkult, after which he entered VKHUTEMAS and became the third participant of Kukryniksy. Sokolov took place as a talented painter. His favorite genre was the lyrical landscape. His works "Lermontov places", "Abramtsevo", "Evening on the Volga" and others are kept in the best museums in Russia.

Nikolai Sokolov died in the year 2000.