Arefyev А.D. (1931-1978), painter

Categories / Art/Fine Arts/Personalia
AREFYEV Alexander Dmitrievich (1931-1978), painter. Lived in Leningrad from his childhood, he studied in a secondary drawing school in 1942-49, expelled from the ninth grade for formalism, studied at the Medical Institute in 1950-53. He painted landscapes and genre pictures evoked by Leningrad’s post-war life, turning to mythological and fantastic genres. His works are notable for their expressiveness and drama. He was the leader of freelance artists in 1950s, the so-called Arefyev Group joined by V. N. Shagin, R. R. Vasmi, C. A. Schwarz, et al., which initiated an independent cultural movement in Leningrad. He took part in unofficial art exhibitions including the Gazanevsky exhibitions in 1974-75 (see Gazanevsky Culture). He emigrated in 1977 to live in Paris. Arefyev’s works are exhibited in the State Russian Museum and the Museum of Nonconformist Art.

Reference: Гуревич Л. Арефьевский круг: Из материалов к Лексикону художников ленингр. андеграунда. СПб., 1998; Арефьевский круг. СПб., 2002.

O. L. Leikind, D. Y. Severyukhin. Arefiev Alexander Dmitrievich
Schwarz Sholom Aronovich
Shagin Vladimir Nikolaevich
Vasmi Rihard Rudolfovich
Арефьевский круг. СПб., 2002
Гуревич Л. Арефьевский круг: Из материалов к Лексикону художников ленингр. андеграунда. СПб., 1998 Pavlov Medical University
Gazanevsky Culture
Russian Museum, State