Footnotes

PROVENANCE:
Collection of the artist, Evgeny Rukhin
Collection of Galina Popova, wife of the artist, c. 1976
Gift from the above to the present owner, 1990

The offered lot is sold together with three personal letters from the artist James Rosenquist to Evgeny Rukhin.

Evgeny Rukhin, an enigmatic Russian abstract artist, was only 32 years old when the fire in the studio ended his life in 1976. Considered by many collectors as one of the most original and innovative non-conformist artists of his time, he was a driving force behind the unofficial art movement in the Soviet Union. Rukhin named the early Soviet modernists of the 1920s such as Kandinsky, Malevich and Klyun as his most decisive influences. His constructivist style involved creating an abstract work by experimenting with texture and form, and creating collages that became his signature works. His work created in the late 1960s-early 1970s was characterised by the inclusion of objects chosen for their symbolic value. Locks, zippers and seals referred to a closed society, while imprints of icons and pieces of wooden elements recalled traditional Russian art and antiquity.

Working tirelessly to promote the works of his fellow artists as well as his own, he established a vital network of contacts, corresponded and met with prominent American artists and critics, and used every opportunity to sell his works to Western collectors. In doing so, Rukhin facilitated the exchange of creative ideas and brought international exposure to the works of the underground artistic community in the Soviet Union deprived of the means of openly exhibiting their works. The American artist James Rosenquist was one of the early supporters of Rukhin. A twenty-year old Rukhin wrote a letter to the famous American pop-artist, and Rosenquist not only responded but came to visit the young Russian artist in Leningrad two years later. They remained close friends over the years, corresponded frequently, and exchanged ideas and contacts. The personal letters from J. Rosenquist included in this lot reflect the spirit of true friendship and camaraderie shared by two great artists.