| Neo-Primitivism - The History | | | | style were Mikhail Larionov (1881-1964) and Natalia |
| After Russian painter and art theorist Aleksandr | | | | Goncharova (1881-1962), though they were not |
| Shevchenko published his book 'Neo-Primitivism' in | | | | the only ones. Other famous artists associated |
| 1913, a completely new genre in art was formed | | | | with the movement were Kazimir Malevich |
| with the same name. However, other accounts | | | | (1879-1935), Vladmir Tatlin (1885-1943), and Marc |
| suggest vice-versa. According to them, | | | | Chagall (Russian-French, 1887-1985). |
| Neo-Primitivism began much earlier, with its official | | | | The Artworks |
| launching in 1909, at the third 'Golden Fleece | | | | Mikhail Larionov's, 'Soldier in the Woods' (1908-09) |
| Exhibition.' The art form is said to span over 1907 | | | | is a perfect example of Neo-Primitive elements, |
| through 1912. Although, it was primarily a Russian | | | | where a brightly painted canvas in primary colors, |
| art movement, it became equally popular in the | | | | depicts a horse smaller than the soldier is. Similarly, |
| Western nations. Neo-Primitivism was | | | | Natalia Goncharova's 'The Evangelists,' (1910), is a |
| fundamentally a radical modern sect with primitive | | | | set of four, oil on canvas works, 204 cm X 58 |
| style executions and therefore, named so. | | | | cm in dimensions each. This religious work is a |
| The Details | | | | leading example of icon painting, which depicts the |
| The characteristics of Folk Art, like lubok, | | | | four authors of the Gospels. The set is |
| embroideries, distaffs, icon painting, and spoons, | | | | remarkable for its straight-forwardness, simplicity, |
| formed the basis of Neo-Primitive works. The | | | | linearity, and colors, in each piece. |
| frames were usually one-dimensional, flat | | | | Conclusion |
| imageries with bold color schemes, and visible | | | | An exhibition in Paris, featuring the native art |
| brushstrokes. The paintings lacked, not only in | | | | forms of Australia, Oceania, and Africa, |
| visual depth, but also in their intricate or visionary | | | | popularized Neo-Primitivism in the Western world. |
| representations. The Neo-Primitive works often | | | | The directness of themes, bold expressiveness, |
| look like child-art, with the distortions of forms | | | | striking color combinations, vigor, spontaneity, and |
| and space. | | | | innovation, caught the fancy of the Western |
| The Artists | | | | artists in no time. Neo-Primitivism, in the Western |
| Russian artists Aleksandr Shevchenko's | | | | world, has come as a blanket term for various |
| (1883-1948) publication describes a harmonization | | | | types of art, including 'Body Art.' In broader |
| of Russian Folk Art with some different art | | | | terms, any art, which subscribes to the philosophy |
| forms, like Futurism and Cubism. French | | | | of Primitivism, represented with a modern outlook |
| Post-Impressionist and Cubist Paul | | | | is Neo-Primitivism. Primitivism suggests that the |
| Cézanne's (1839-1906) body of work was | | | | life was more simple and honest for the |
| also a great influence on the underlying philosophy | | | | 'unschooled' primitive civilizations! |
| of Neo-Primitivism. The original protagonists of this | | | | |