Vladimir Yankilevsky's 'Mystery of Being' at MMOMA

The exhibition 'Mystery of Being' at MMOMA in Moscow (until April 29, 2018) showcases the work of Vladimir Yankilevsky (1938-2018), a Russian artist who blended Western traditions with Constructivist and Surrealist influences. Yankilevsky's practice includes triptychs and polyptychs that merge painting, sculpture, and installation. A recurring motif is doors and thresholds, reflecting his liminal existence. In his youth, he witnessed the 1962 Manezh scandal, where young artists exhibited abstract art, leading to his banishment from the artists' union and forcing him to work as a graphic designer under a pseudonym. In 1975, he participated in a non-official exhibition at VDNH but avoided overt political statements, focusing instead on personal dramas. His series 'Porte' (Doors), begun in 1972, features the artist depicted from behind, carrying a suitcase, evoking nostalgia and loss. One notable work, 'Trittico 14. Autoritratto. Omaggio a mio padre' (1987), includes a faded photo of his grandparents, a clipping of his drawing, and a reproduction of Piero della Francesca's diptych of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino. Yankilevsky moved to Paris in the late 1980s and died there in January 2018, a month before the exhibition's opening.