The Uncommon Vision of Sergei Konenkov, 1874-1971: A Russian Sculptor and His Times

Sergei Konenkov was one of the 20th century’s most distinguished Russian artists. After spending over 20 years in the United States, he returned to the Soviet Union in 1945 to become a respected member of the Soviet art world. The mentor to an entire generation of Soviet sculptors, he was renowned for his personal charisma and artistic versatility. This collection of essays, interviews and personal reminiscences is an appraisal of his work. The contributors view Konenkov’s work within a variety of cultural, artistic and philosophical contexts. Particular attention is paid to his awareness of both indigenous Russian traditions and European innovations. They trace the many stages of his artistic development as he explored and experimented with techniques borrowed from Realism, Symbolism, salon portraiture, African wood carving, Socialist Realism and Surrealism. The many different historical sources that inspired Konenkov’s artistic expression, from Orthodox Christianity and the folklore of the Russian peasantry to the Egyptian pyramids and pre-classical antiquity are also discussed. The contributors also explore the relationship of Konenkov’s life and ideology to art, and the effects of expatriation on creativity. Illustrated with dozens of photographs of Konenkov’s art, this study of one of the most enigmatic and fascinating artists of the modern period will accompany an exhibition at The Jane Voorhees Zinnerli Art Museum in New Brunswick, New Jersey.