David Davidovich Burliuk was an avant-garde artist of the 20th century, who is considered one of the founders of Futurism. The paintings of David Burliuk are bright and shocking works that reflect the inner world of the author, whom his contemporaries recalled as a very non-trivial figure. The artist’s work is constant experimentation and the search for something new.
Biography of David Burliuk
David Burliuk was born on July 9, 1882 on the Semirotovka farm (Ukraine). From childhood, David was distinguished by a restless character. Once, in a fight with his brother, he accidentally lost an eye. Over time, this became part of his unusual image.
From 1895 to 1898 Burliuk studied at the men’s gymnasium in Tambov. Then he began to travel the world and comprehend the art of painting. The student honed his skills in educational institutions in Russia, France and Germany. Since the 1910s, he has already been known in Russia and abroad as a talented representative of futurism.
In the First World War, the painter did not have to take part: due to the lack of an eye, he was not called upon. During this period he lived in Moscow and was engaged in creative work. In 1915, David Burliuk moved to Bashkiria. Here he lived for two years and during this time he wrote about 200 paintings. In 1918 he went on a journey again, visiting the Urals, Siberia, and the Far East.
In the same year, the painter moved to Japan, where he painted and studied the local culture.
During the time spent in this country, the painter managed to create about 300 works, selling which he managed to achieve his next goal in 1920 he emigrated to the United States.
In America, David Burliuk manifests himself not only as a painter, but also as a poet oriented towards the Soviet public. He dedicates a poem to the October Revolution and writes on a regular basis for the newspaper “Russian Voice”. Together with his wife, he prints brochures and magazines, which are distributed mainly in the USSR.
In 1956 and 1965, the artist visited the USSR. He wanted his creations to be published here, but he could not agree on this. During the communist period, citizens were opposed to the author. At the same time, Burliuk wrote many paintings that made him famous all over the world. The master is tormented by nostalgia for his homeland, although he is not accepted there.
David Burliuk died on January 15, 1967 in Hampton Base (USA). The artist remained in the memory of people as a very stylish and outrageous person with a tough disposition.
The most famous paintings by David Burliuk
David Burliuk’s paintings are a reflection of his rich inner world and eternal striving for something new. In the author’s works we see different techniques, styles and genres:
- “Portrait of a Mother” (1906) is the result of the artist’s passion for impressionism. Short strokes, as if created in a hurry, create an impressive play of shades.
- “Oxen” (1908) used the techniques of avant-garde Fauvism. Wide lines, bright colors the picture resembles the work of the famous Henri Matisse.
- “Portrait of My Uncle” (1910s) an example of cubo-futurism one of the directions that the painter was fond of. During a tour of Siberia in 1918-1919, Burliuk created such a portrait in all hotels, usually in haste.
- “The Reaper” (1915) a painting with a layer of five centimeters thick. The texture of the material suggests that the author mixed sand or clay into the paint. In the work we see figures of animals and people, reminiscent of ancient drawings on the walls of caves.
- “Japanese Woman Sowing Rice” (1920) created under the influence of Japanese culture. A striking example of futurism, where a sense of movement is achieved through the repetition of lines and shapes.
- Banana Flower (1921) is a memory of life on the Japanese island of Ogosawara. The exoticism of the local nature inspired the creation of colorful works.
- “Workers” (1924) written in America, where the artist was struck by skyscrapers and people working at an impressive height without insurance.
Burliuk created a painting measuring two by three meters, but it was not possible to sell it. For some time it lay rolled up, after which only part of the work was preserved, where the faces of the workers were depicted.
More Paintings
