Natalia Goncharova, Palazzo Strozzi

While walking in Florence, exhibition posters of Russian Natalia Goncharova (1881-1962) were everywhere. I had a memory that this exhibition is coming to Finland, and it is true that from Palazzo Strozzi the exhibition will move to the Ateneum, Helsinki next spring (February 27 - May 17, 2020). Goncharova was influenced by Matisse, Gauguin and Picasso, and her work was an exciting blend of Gauguin's colorfulness, Picasso's cubism and Russian folk art. Strong and colorful!

"The art of my country is incomparably deeper

than anything that I have come to know in the West.”

Natalia Goncharova turned into the leading figure in the Russian avant-garde. She organized a huge solo exhibition in Moscow in 1913-14 - with over 700 works, says Astrid! At about the same time, she moved to France with her life long companion Mihail Larionov - as The Russian Revolution was approaching - and became the key figure in the roaring art scene in Paris.

Goncharova's extensive artistic production was inspired by folk art and religious icons. Her art was also contradictory: she could appear with her face painted in some street performance in Moscow and at the same time create religious art inspired by old icons. Goncharova also designed costumes and props for Sergei Diaghilev's Ballet Russes and fashion for fashion houses in Moscow and Paris. - Ateneum Press Release

Goncharova seen by the eyes of her companion, Mihail Larionov

 The exhibition featured a video of Diaghilev's ballet world, a couple of stage costumes 
in showcases and many small sketches for stage costumes. So interesting!

This woman drags the whole of Moscow and the whole of St. Petersburg behind her; 

they don’t just imitate her work, they imitate even her personality. 

- Sergei Djagilev, 1913

”A costume’s function is not to dress characters but rather to impart material form 

to them, to convey their type, their temperament."

Goncharova and Larionov thus moved from the Russian Revolution to Paris and later they became French citizens. Goncharova also traveled in Italy and Spain with the Diaghilev's Ballet Russes which gave influences to her works as seen in this beautiful painting.

See myy blogfriend Astrid's fantastic portrait in German of Goncharova.

 Great to have this colorful and strong exhibition at the Ateneum, Helsinki!

*****

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