Natalya Goncharova, “Preface to Catalogue of One-Man Exhibition,” (1913)

Page 1: Overview of Artist's Biography

• Birth and Early Life:

  • Born near Tula in 1881, died in Paris in 1962.

• Education:

  • 1898-1902: Studied at the Moscow Institute of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture, initially focusing on sculpture under Paolo Trubetskoi.

  • Transitioned to painting after initial studies.

• Early Career:

  • 1910: Held a one-man exhibition at the Society of Free Aesthetics in Moscow, which was considered scandalous due to the perceived pornographic nature of the works.

  • Illustrated futurist booklets around 1913.

  • Contributed to multiple exhibitions (e.g., "Knave of Diamonds", "Donkey's Tail", etc.) between 1910-15.

  • 1914: Moved to Paris with Mikhail Larionov but returned to Moscow briefly after the outbreak of war.

  • 1915: Joined Sergei Diaghilev in Lausanne and settled in Paris with Larionov in 1918.

• Significant Exhibitions:

  • Second one-man exhibition in Moscow displayed 768 works covering 1900-13, open from August to October 1913.

  • Smaller version opened in St. Petersburg in early 1914; did not create similar scandal compared to 1910.

  • Criticized for religious subjects in artworks during this exhibition.

• Artistic Journey:

  • Emphasized self-taught progression in painting rather than formal education.

  • Recognition of Eastern influences in art, moving away from Western models.

  • Inaugural statement on the significance of Russian art and its Eastern roots.

Page 2: Artistic Ideologies and Influences

• Critique of Western Art:

  • Art traditions from China, India, and Egypt viewed as foundational and influential.

  • Greek and Italian art is seen as decadence, with Gothic as a transitional state.

  • Contemporary art is viewed as a new blossoming, again influenced by Eastern traditions.

• The Center of Art:

  • Proclaims Moscow as a vital center for painting.

  • Rejects imitation of Western models and critiques artists clinging to individuality without talent.

• Artistic Objectives:

  • No limitations on artistic achievements; embrace of contemporary art discoveries.

  • Aims to defeat the doctrine of individualism, focusing instead on collective and painterly expression.

  • Advocates for drawing inspiration from Russia and the East rather than Western art styles.

• Rayonism Theory:

  • Emphasizes painterly laws and communal artistic form.

  • Challenges the notion of individuality in art as a restrictive and outdated concept.

Page 3: Reflection on Artistic Influence and Future Directions

• Vulgarity in Art:

  • Discusses the prevalence of artistic vulgarity as a contemporary issue, distinct from artistic achievement.

  • Proposes that vulgarity can still be subject to artistic exploration.

• Seeking Eastern Connections:

  • Aspiring towards the East for new artistic forms and deeper color exploration to reflect contemporary beauty.

  • Emphasizes nationality while advocating for universalism in art.

• Cultural Appreciation:

  • Stresses the importance of recognizing and restoring value to Russian art on an international scale.

  • Concludes that true art stems from understanding and developing a connection with one’s own cultural roots and the greater artistic lineage from the East.