Kirill Zdanevich

Born: 1892, Kojori (Georgia)
Died: 1969, Tbilisi (Georgia)

Georgian painter, graphic artist, theatrical designer, book designer, illustrator, collector, writer on art. Elder brother of Ilya Zdanevich. Born in the family of Polish teacher Micha? Zdaniewicz and Georgian pianist Valentina Gamkrelidze in the small town of Kojori near Tiflis (1892). Studied under Miko?aj Sklifasowski at the School of Painting and Sculpture of the Caucasian Society for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts in Tiflis (1900–11), Imperial Academy of Arts in St Petersburg (1911–12, expelled along with Mikhail Le-Dantiu) and under Alexander Archipenko in Paris (1912–14). Leading member of the Russian Futurist movement (1910s). Discovered Niko Pirosmani (1912). Member of Donkey’s Tail (1912) and Target (1913). Co-signed the Rayonists and Futurists manifesto (1913). Worked at Vladimir Tatlin’s Tower studio in Moscow (1913–14). Fought in the First World War (1914–17). Moved with Ilya Zdanevich to Tiflis (1917), where they founded the Syndicate of Futurists (1917) and 41° (1918). Emigrated to Constantinople (1920) and visited Paris (1921). Returned to Tiflis (1921), where he designed sets for the Shota Rustaveli Theatre of Drama (1923–24). Worked as a theatrical and pavilion interior designer in Moscow (1925–36). Returned to Tbilisi (early 1940s), where he worked as a circus set designer (1941–43). Arrested (1949) and sentenced to Dubravlag in Mordovia (1949–57). Rehabilitated (1957). Honoured Artist of Georgia (1963). Visited Ilya Zdanevich in Paris (1964). Died in Tbilisi (1969). Contributed to exhibitions (from 1912), including Donkey’s Tail (1912), Target (1913), No. 4 Futurists, Rayonists, Primitive (1914), Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris (1925), Russian Futurism and David Burliuk, “Father of Russian Futurism” at the Russian Museum in St Petersburg (2000), Abstraction in Russia: XX Century at the Russian Museum in St Petersburg (2001–02), The Avant-Garde: Before and After at Europalia in the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels (2005), Collage in Russia: XX Century at the Russian Museum in St Petersburg (2005–06) and one-man shows in Tiflis/Tbilisi (1917, 1962).

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