Maria Drobyshevskaya, Maksim Prokop’ev
Novosibirsk State University, Russia
Unfortunately, the art of Siberian artists has been often neglected. But it is art of outstanding Siberian masters, such as P. Jakubowski and O. Jankus, which reveals a peculiar artistic worldview, enables us to perceive the national identity of the artists, with a reliable understanding of historical and artistic context of the epoch, thus giving us a chance to comprehend the history of our country.
Drawing on yet unpublished materials, the author will examine artistic, theoretical and epistolary heritage of P. Jakubowski and O. Jankus, which gives an opportunity to trace the development of Siberian avant-garde as a reflection of the artists’ national identity. P. Jakubowski and O. Jankus had no art education, however, the mastery of their artwork is doubtless, such a phenomenon is a unique chance to analyze the development of avant-garde art on the periphery, particularly in Novosibirsk and Tomsk, and especially in the context of the time of crisis in the early 20th century. Besides, within the framework of theoretical and epistolary heritage of Siberian artists, painting fully reflects ideas and views of the artists (“Manifesto of synthetical dynamism”, 1920 by O. Jankus; P. Jakubowski’s letters and diaries of the period from 1914 till 1921, and memoirs of the inner circle of the artist).
As a result of a careful study of works by P. Jakubowski and O. Jankus, features allowing us to talk about some sort of a synthesis of the periphery national identity and “Siberian eclecticism” are revealed. Being the representatives of ideas of their time, both artists could not avoid the influence of the course of history. Their turn to avant-garde was motivated by severe social conditions, political instability, and the idea that “art advances life” (O. Jankus “Manifesto of synthetical dynamism”, 1920, Tomsk, p. 3).
Thus, having no academic education or opportunity to acquaint themselves with works of European artists, the painters came in their art to leading European painting trends. In the light of the newfound heritage of Siberian masters the conception of “periphery avant-garde” gets a completely new meaning.