The Avant-Gardists: Artists in Revolt in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union 1917-1935

A fascinating narrative biography of the Russian avant-garde art movement that transformed the modern world, tracing the lives and activities of the key protagonists as they set about a revolution in art. October 1917. The Russian Revolution wipes the old tsarist empire off the map. Marc Chagall, Wassily Kandinsky, Kazimir Malevich, Lyubov Popova, Alexander Rodchenko, Olga Rozanova, Vladimir Tatlin, and other avant-garde artists participate in the revolutionary struggle, transforming inner cities with their progressive murals, posters, installations, and performances. The new political leaders soon want nothing to do with these radical artists. While their reputation is growing in Europe, they experience increasing pressure in the Soviet Union. Scheijen’s vivid, dynamic style; authoritative command of his source material; and extensive original research provide exceptional insight into the lives of these avant-gardists, whose art transformed modern art. 128 illustrations, 23 in color.