Jewish Museum exhibition explores Russian avant-garde collaboration in Vitebsk from 1918-1922
From September 14, 2018, to January 6, 2019, the Jewish Museum in New York showcased 'Chagall, Lissitzky, Malevich: The Russian Avant-Garde in Vitebsk, 1918-1922.' Curated by Angela Lampe and Claudia J. Nahson, this exhibition, which originated at Centre Pompidou, examined the Vitebsk School of Art established by Marc Chagall after the Russian Revolution. It highlighted the works of Chagall, Kazimir Malevich, and El Lissitzky, emphasizing their collective passion for post-revolutionary concepts. Among the featured artworks were Chagall's 'Double Portrait with Wine Glass' (1917-1918) and Malevich's 'Mystic Suprematism (Red Cross on Black Circle)' (c. 1920-1922). The exhibition also explored the artistic conflicts that led to the school's closure in 1922.
Key facts
- Exhibition ran September 14, 2018 to January 6, 2019 at the Jewish Museum in New York
- Featured Marc Chagall, Kazimir Malevich, and El Lissitzky together
- Focused on the Vitebsk School of Art founded by Chagall after the Russian Revolution
- Curated by Angela Lampe (Musée National d'Art Moderne, Paris) and Claudia J. Nahson (Jewish Museum)
- Originally exhibited at Centre Pompidou before traveling to New York
- Highlighted Jewish cultural renaissance in early 20th-century Russia
- Included works by Yuri Pen and Mikhail Kunin alongside the three main artists
- Documented Malevich's takeover of the school through the UNOVIS group in 1920
Entities
Artists
- Marc Chagall
- Kazimir Malevich
- El Lissitzky
- Yuri Pen
- Mikhail Kunin
- Vladimir Lenin
- Bela Chagall
- Patryk Tomaszewski
- Seth L. Wolitz
- Ruth Apter-Gabriel
Institutions
- Jewish Museum
- Musée National d'Art Moderne
- Centre Pompidou
- Vitebsk School of Art
- UNOVIS
- INKhUK
- The Israel Museum
- ARTMargins Online
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Paris
- France
- Vitebsk
- Russia
- Switzerland
- Moscow
- Jerusalem
- Israel