Verbovka Village Folk Centre
Encyclopedia
Verbovka Village Folk Centre was an artisan cooperative in the village of Verbovka founded by Natalia Davidova in the Ukrainian
province of Kiev
. Natalia Davidova, one of the founders and the head of the Kiev Folk Center, was a talented Avant-garde
artist descended from the ancient Ukrainian Hudim-Levkovichis family (a famous Russian philosopher Nikolai Berdyaev
was her cousin and an artist Nina Genke-Meller
was his sister-in-law). The beginning of the cooperation of Natalia Davidova and Nina Genke-Meller originated not just from their family relations. They both were keen on folk art and were devoted to the idea of implementation of Avant-garde artistic principles into practice of amateur goods. In 1915 Nina Genke became a head and chief artist of Natalia's Davidova Folk Center in Verbovka village. N.Davidova involved Nina Genke in "promoting " folk thing's production in accordance with the sketchers of famous Avant-garde artists. The members of the Supremus
group started to cooperate very actively. Between 1915 and 1916 many Suprematist
artists such as Kazimir Malevich
, Aleksandra Ekster
, Nina Genke-Meller
, Nadezhda Udaltsova
, Liubov Popova, Olga Rozanova
, Ivan Puni
, Ksenia Boguslavskaya
, Ivan Kliun
and others worked with peasant artisans at the cooperative. In November 1915 N.Davidova , together with A.Ekster and N.Genke, arranged an Exhibition of Modern Decorative Art of the South of Russia in Lamersie Moscow Gallery. There they represented the village ladies' works who studied decorative art in Verbovka and Skoptsi's schools, as well as carpets, pillows, shawls and belts made in accordance with sketches of Popova, Malevich, Davidova, Genke, Ekster, Puni, Kliun, Pribilskaya, Yakulov, Rozanova, Vasilieva, Boguslavskaya and others. The exhibition received broad publicity in the press. In 1917 Davidova and Genke arranged the Second Exhibition of Modern Decorative Art in Moscow in Mikhailava's Saloon.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
province of Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. Natalia Davidova, one of the founders and the head of the Kiev Folk Center, was a talented Avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
artist descended from the ancient Ukrainian Hudim-Levkovichis family (a famous Russian philosopher Nikolai Berdyaev
Nikolai Berdyaev
Nikolai Alexandrovich Berdyaev was a Russian religious and political philosopher.-Early life and education:Berdyaev was born in Kiev into an aristocratic military family. He spent a solitary childhood at home, where his father's library allowed him to read widely...
was her cousin and an artist Nina Genke-Meller
Nina Genke-Meller
Nina Genke or Nina Genke-Meller, or Nina Henke-Meller, was a Ukrainian-Russian avant-garde artist, , designer, graphic artist and scenographer. -Biography:...
was his sister-in-law). The beginning of the cooperation of Natalia Davidova and Nina Genke-Meller originated not just from their family relations. They both were keen on folk art and were devoted to the idea of implementation of Avant-garde artistic principles into practice of amateur goods. In 1915 Nina Genke became a head and chief artist of Natalia's Davidova Folk Center in Verbovka village. N.Davidova involved Nina Genke in "promoting " folk thing's production in accordance with the sketchers of famous Avant-garde artists. The members of the Supremus
Supremus
Supremus was a group of Russian avant-garde artists led by the "father" of Suprematism, Kazimir Malevich. It included Aleksandra Ekster, Liubov Popova, Olga Rozanova, Ivan Kliun, Ivan Puni, Nadezhda Udaltsova, Nina Genke-Meller, Ksenia Boguslavskaya and others.-See also:*Suprematism*Kazimir...
group started to cooperate very actively. Between 1915 and 1916 many Suprematist
Suprematism
Suprematism was an art movement focused on fundamental geometric forms which formed in Russia in 1915-1916. It was not until later that suprematism received conventional museum preparations...
artists such as Kazimir Malevich
Kazimir Malevich
Kazimir Severinovich Malevich was a Russian painter and art theoretician, born of ethnic Polish parents. He was a pioneer of geometric abstract art and the originator of the Avant-garde Suprematist movement.-Early life:...
, Aleksandra Ekster
Aleksandra Ekster
Aleksandra Aleksandrovna Ekster was a Russian-French painter and designer.-Biography:-Childhood:...
, Nina Genke-Meller
Nina Genke-Meller
Nina Genke or Nina Genke-Meller, or Nina Henke-Meller, was a Ukrainian-Russian avant-garde artist, , designer, graphic artist and scenographer. -Biography:...
, Nadezhda Udaltsova
Nadezhda Udaltsova
Nadezhda Andreeva Udaltsova was a Russian avant-garde artist and painter.-Biography:Nadezhda Udaltsova was born in town Orel in Russia. Udaltsova studied at private art studios in Moscow, then in Paris under André Segonzac....
, Liubov Popova, Olga Rozanova
Olga Rozanova
Olga Vladimirovna Rozanova Olga Vladimirovna Rozanova Olga Vladimirovna Rozanova (also spelled Rosanova, Russian: (Ольга Владимировна Розанова) (1886-7 November 1918, Moscow) was a Russian avant-garde artist in the styles of Suprematist, Neo-Primitivist, and Cubo-Futurist.-Biography:...
, Ivan Puni
Ivan Puni
Ivan Puni or Puny was a Russian avant-garde artist .-Biography:Ivan Puni was born in Kuokkala to a family of Italian origins...
, Ksenia Boguslavskaya
Ksenia Boguslavskaya
Kseniya Boguslavskaya was a Russian avant-garde artist poet and interior decorator. Her husband Ivan Puni was also a notable painter...
, Ivan Kliun
Ivan Kliun
Ivan Kliun was a Russian painter, Avant-garde artist , graphic artist and sculptor.-Biography:Ivan Vasilyevich Kliun was born in 1873 in Bolshie Gorki village ....
and others worked with peasant artisans at the cooperative. In November 1915 N.Davidova , together with A.Ekster and N.Genke, arranged an Exhibition of Modern Decorative Art of the South of Russia in Lamersie Moscow Gallery. There they represented the village ladies' works who studied decorative art in Verbovka and Skoptsi's schools, as well as carpets, pillows, shawls and belts made in accordance with sketches of Popova, Malevich, Davidova, Genke, Ekster, Puni, Kliun, Pribilskaya, Yakulov, Rozanova, Vasilieva, Boguslavskaya and others. The exhibition received broad publicity in the press. In 1917 Davidova and Genke arranged the Second Exhibition of Modern Decorative Art in Moscow in Mikhailava's Saloon.