Vladimir Yankilevsky

Vladimir Borisovich Yankilevsky (Russian: Владимир Борисович Янкилевский) (February 15, 1938RKD.nl — January 4, 2017) was a Russian artist. He was born in Moscow.

Yankilevsky was known mostly for his work in the Soviet Nonconformist Art movement of the 1960s through the 1980s. His most famous works are his triptychs, works that are hard to classify. His works often create a nightmarish imagery to paint a picture of restrictive mental states about daily life in the Soviet Union, and with the human condition in general. 

Yankilevsky was also known for having participated in the Manezh Art Exhibit of 1962, during which Nikita Khrushchev famously chastised the Nonconformist Art Movement as degenerate. 

In 1970s Yankilevsky became close to a group of Moscow non-conformist artists who were on the same wavelength as himself. When in 1972 Czech art theorist and critic Jindřich Chalupecký came to Moscow and met those artists, he christened their unofficial circle as “Sretensky Boulevard” art group, which came to include Ilja Kabakov, Viktor Pivovarov, Vladimir Yankilevsky, Eduard Steinberg, Erik Bulatov, Oleg Vasiliev, Ivan Chuikov, Mikhail Roginsky. 
Эдик Штейнберг. Материалы биографии. Очерки визуальности. Москва, Новое литературное обозрение, 2015. ISBN 978-5-4448-0239-7. pp. 21–22

In the vibrant art scene of 1970s Moscow, he was discovered by Dina Vierny, a distinguished gallerist and art collector based in Paris. Vierny, after a visit in Moscow in the early 1970’s, committed to supporting artists resisting the constraints of socialist realism and discovered Yankilevskly, among others such as Ilya Kabakov and Erik Bulatov. In the challenging climate of Soviet artistic constraints, Yankilevsky, alongside other non-conformist artists, faced obstacles in expressing their creativity freely. Dina Vierny, recognizing the immense talent and the struggle these artists endured, played a pivotal role in aiding their artistic aspirations. With Vierny's assistance, Yankilevsky made the momentous decision to relocate to Paris, a city renowned for its artistic freedom and diverse creative environment.

In this new chapter of his life, Yankilevsky found himself amidst a community of like-minded artists who, despite diverse styles, shared a common goal—to break free from the confines of state-imposed artistic norms, particularly socialist realism. This relocation not only marked a geographical shift but also symbolized a profound liberation for Yankilevsky and his fellow artists.

The move to Paris facilitated an environment where Yankilevsky could further explore and exhibit his distinctive artistic vision without the constraints imposed by the Soviet regime. Dina Vierny's unwavering support and commitment to the Russian avant-garde artists played a crucial role in fostering a space where their creativity could flourish, contributing to the rich tapestry of artistic expression in the vibrant cultural landscape of Paris. Vierny's commitment culminated in the groundbreaking exhibition "Russian Avant-Garde - Moscow 1973" at her Saint-Germain-des-Prés gallery, showcasing the diverse yet united front of non-conformist artists challenging the artistic norms of their time.

Yankilevsky died in Paris of leukemia on January 4, 2018 at the age of 79.Умер художник Владимир ЯнкилевскийХудожник Владимир Янкилевский скончался в возрасте 79 лет

 References and sources 
References

Sources

 Vladimir A. Gusev und Evgenija Nikolaevna Petrova, Kiblickij Iozef (Hrsg.), Harry N. Abrams. "Russisches Museum : hundert Jahre nationale russische Schatzkammer. Staatliches Russisches Museum. Palace Edition, 1998. ISBN 978-3930775361.
 Геллер, Михаил. Машина и винтики. История формирования советского человека. М.: «МИК», 1994. 336 с. ISBN 5-87902-084-3
 https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/355731 Никита Хрущев, отец русского авангарда], Kommersant, December 16, 2002
 Zubok V. M. Zhivago's Children: The Last Russian Intelligentsia. — Harvard University Press, 2009. — 453 p. — ISBN 978-0-674-03344-3.
 Иогансон Б. И. Московский союз художников. Взгляд из XXI века. Книга вторая (1962-1991). М., 2021. ISBN 978-5-907267-75-6
 Елизавета Кузнецова. «Проблемы кураторов: горизонты нового искусства». Санкт-Петербург, издат. «Зеленая Амфора», 2021
 Michael Atticus Fried. “Les noms émergents de la scène artistique française après la révolution post-moderniste des années”. Arcueil: Anthese Editions, 2023
 Эдик Штейнберг. Материалы биографии. Очерки визуальности. Москва, Новое литературное обозрение, 2015. ISBN 978-5-4448-0239-7.
 Cachin, Françoise.”Le feu qui brûle dans le cœur des artistes contemporains: la flamme de la véritable passion”. Saint Rémy en l’Eau: Editions Monelle Hayot, 2010

Category:1938 births
Category:2018 deaths
Category:Russian artists
Category:Russian painters
Category:Soviet painters
Category:Russian sculptors
Category:People from Moscow