Nikolay Kuk
About the Artist
My signature style comes from icons, apart from primitivism. That’s’ why my artwork has a healing effect, if you look at it throughout time. I am inspired by suprematist movement of Vasiliy Kandinsky and Kazimir Malevich. You can also recognize suprematism in architecture of Manhattan,
– Nikolay Kuk
Artist Statement
BIOGRAPHY
Nikolay Kuk was born in Moscow, Russia in 1934 in the family with the history of Construction Engineering. His Grand-grand was in charge of Engineering and construction fleet ships for Peter the Great, Russian Czar. Another relative owned the train-carts building plant in Omsk in 19th century, when railroad was invented.
Women in the family (Palchikov’s) were well-known pianists. One of them was the first teacher of the composer Peter Chaikovsky. Several members of this family were opera singers during beginning of 20th Century Artistic splash in Russia.
| 1942-1953 | Moscow Secondary School |
| 1954-1956 | Served at Air Defense of Nordic Navy of USSR. Nikolay was released from Navy in 2 years 2 months instead of six years, due Khrushchev’s amnesty to cut army forces |
| 1957-1958 | Studied at Moscow Construction Institute, named after Kuybyshev, as Construction Engineer |
| 1958-1962 | Moscow Industrial Technical Centre courses, specializing in technology of ceramics, paint producing, punishes wax (Cera punica) |
| 1958 | Kuk started to draw and paint. In 1959-1962 his target was to make 20-30 contour pencil drawings per day to train his hand. |
| 1960 | Monumental period of Kuk’s art. Famous “Steps” and other large canvases were produced. “Steps” is located at Moscow Museum of Modern Art, led by Tsereteli at this time. |
| 1961 | Abstract period of Kuk’s art. Many oil compositions were produced |
| 1962 | In 1962 the Ornamental period of Kuk’s art started, where he stays until now. |
| 1962-1965 | Kuk works at Arts Fund of USSR, Started with Art Packaging for Mobile Exhibitions, further Director of Mobile Exhibitions. The art pieces were official realistic art, traveling inside Russia. Kuk’s non-comformist art was illegal in USSR. Non-comformist Artists were exhibiting in “Home Exhibitions” only. On one of such Home Exhibitions about 20 pieces of Kuk’s art, purchased by Yosef Kiblitsky was arrested. Kuk got sick with malaria and almost died. |
| 1965 | Kuk met Lidia Kirillova, who became his wife and inspirational partner. |
| 1966 | Kuk and Lidia were illustrating several magazines, and both artists joined Graphic Artists Committee of City of Moscow. This Committee built the exhibit hall in 1975, and since then they exhibited annually as the members of “Moscow 21” group of artists, together with Vladimir Yakovlev, N. Shibanova, Marza, Kurkin, Bachurin and other Moscow artists, members of the above committee. There was Catalogue of Pyatnitskiy published about “Moscow 21”, and an article in Magazine “Soviet Literature” about the Neo-Moscow School. Chezh collector has purchased a serious of graphics and some canvases of Kuk and other Moscow 21 artists, and permanently exhibited these in Bochum, Germany gallery as Neo Moscow School later. Various diplomats were purchasing Kuk’s art at that time. |
| 1968-1975 | Kuk works on famous canvases “Wasps”, “Cross” and “At the table”. |
| 1981 | Kuk exhibits at Pavillion of Apiculture of Exhibition of National Economy Achievements in Moscow, Russia, together with Neo Moscow school artists |
| 1984-1985 | These canvases, along with some other sculptures and graphics were purchased by private collectors and Basmadgan Gallery of Paris, France in 1984. Kuk’s artwork was exhibited in Tretyakov Gallery – Moscow Russia, Hermitage – St. Petersburg Russia, as well as UNESCO exposition in New York City 1984-1985. |
| 1989 | Perestroika took place in Russia, and Non-conformist art was legalized in Russia. Kuk and Lidia joined International Union of Artists of Russia. |
| 1997 | Kuk and Kirillova exhibit at Manezh Modern Art exhibition in Moscow, Russia. |
| 2013/10 | Kuk exhibits in a personal booth at Spectrum, New York |
| 2014/04 | Kuk exhibits in a personal booth at Solo pavilion, Art Expo, New York |
Contact STUDIO
send you inquiry