Boris Chetkov facts for kids
Boris Alexandrovitch Chetkov (born October 27, 1926 – died September 6, 2010) was a talented Russian artist. He was known for his bright and colorful paintings and amazing glass art. His art often showed strong feelings and ideas, similar to styles like Expressionism. Chetkov loved to experiment with colors and new ways of creating art.
Even though he faced many challenges, especially living in the Soviet Union where his art wasn't always accepted, he never stopped creating. He was a very dedicated artist. For example, in the early 1990s, he painted over 400 artworks! Both his paintings and glass pieces are famous for their unique and powerful use of color. His art can be seen in museums like the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.
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Chetkov's Early Life and Training
Boris Chetkov was born in 1926 in a village called Novaya Lyalya, Russia. His family were farmers. In the 1930s, during a time called collectivization, his family lost their land. They had to travel around looking for work.
When he was 16, in 1942, Chetkov was arrested and sent to a labor camp. This was part of the Gulag system. Later, in 1944, he joined the Russian army. He fought in World War II in Latvia.
Becoming an Artist
Chetkov loved art from a young age. He didn't get formal art lessons until 1949. He studied with Vladimir Eifert, who used to be in charge of the Pushkin Museum.
He later went to the Tavricheskaya Art School in 1952. He got very sick and almost died, but this made him even more determined to be an artist. He then studied at the Stroganov Moscow State University of Arts and Industry from 1960 to 1965. He had to leave because his ideas about art were too different from what the Communist party wanted. He then finished his studies at the Saint Petersburg State Art and Industry Academy in 1966.
Working with Glass
From 1967 to 1979, Chetkov was the main glass artist at a factory in Malaya Vishera. He was very creative and passionate about glass. He tried many new ways to make glass art. He even used old Venetian techniques.
Chetkov once said, "Working with glass is enchanting... the artist becomes a magician." His beautiful glass art was shown all over the world starting in the 1970s. However, it was often shown as "art of the Soviet Union," not under his own name.
Chetkov's Paintings
For most of his life, Chetkov painted by himself. His art style didn't fit with the official art style of the time, called Socialist Realism. This style focused on showing happy workers and Soviet life. But Chetkov never gave up his "strength of spirit." His paintings are often very bright and full of energy.
He painted many different subjects again and again. These included still life (pictures of objects), landscapes, horses, abstract expressionism (art that shows feelings through shapes and colors), and portraits. He always tried new colors and materials. Chetkov also loved to paint scenes from his childhood on his grandfather's farm. These paintings often showed an ideal country life from before the time of Stalin.
Developing His Style
When he was young, Chetkov experimented with Modernist art ideas. When he started working with glass in 1967, it greatly influenced his painting. He began to paint a lot. He developed a rich color palette. His paintings seemed to "glow" from the inside, like they had their own light. He also used painting ideas in his glass work. During this time, he painted most of his portraits.
After leaving the factory in 1979, again because of issues with the Communist party, Chetkov went through a tough time. He painted much less, and his colors became duller. But from about 1987, especially after the Soviet Union ended in 1989, he became very creative again. He painted about 400 pieces in the early 1990s, including many abstract works. His art from this time shows a brilliant use of bright colors.
From about 1995, Chetkov's paintings started to get attention outside Russia. He had his own art shows in Germany, Russia, and the United States. He also showed his art with other artists in Australia, Japan, and China. In 2013, a show of his art in the UK was the opening exhibition for Russian Art Week.
Chetkov was friends with the artist Ernst Fuchs. Fuchs admired Chetkov's glass art. He encouraged Chetkov to call his paintings Fantastic Realism. An art historian named Irina G. Mikhailova even called Chetkov a founder of the "Saint Petersburg School of Fantastic Realism." She wrote a book about his art.
