Circle of Artists, Creative Association

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CIRCLE OF ARTISTS, also known as the Circle Society of Artists, a creative association made up of graduates of the Higher Art and Technical Institute under the Central Technical Drawing School and the Academy of Arts, founded in 1926 to include over 40 painters, graphic artists, and sculptors such as L. R. Britanishsky, M. F. Verbov, D. E. Zagoskin, B. E. Kaplyansky, N. S. Mogilevsky, P. A. Osolodkov, V. V. Pakulin, the chairman, A. F. Pakhomov, A. I. Poret, A. I. Rusakov, A. N. Samokhvalov, G. N. Traugot, and S. A. Chugunov. Searching for a contemporary style, members of the society studied world traditions and strove to depict modern life, both generally and monumentally. The society held three exhibitions in the State Russian Museum (1927, 1928, and 1929), one each at the House of Education Workers (1927) and the Krasny Treugolnik Factory Club (1929), and participated in an exhibition by the Group of Modern Leningrad Artists (1928-29) and the First City Exhibition of Fine Arts (1930). They also arranged an exhibition in Kiev (1930). The exhibitions usually involved lectures and debates. Several artists left the society in 1929, including Samokhvalov, Britanishsky, Chugunov, Verbov and Zagoskin. The society often held its meetings in Pakulin and Pakhomov's flat at 15 Liteiny Avenue. Though it continued to exist officially until 1932, it ceased to exhibit after 1930.

Reference: Самохвалов А. Н. Общество "Круг художников" // Творчество. 1967. № 2. С. 14-16; Шихирева О. Н. К истории общества "Круг художников" // Советское искусствознание, 82. М., 1983. Вып. 1. С. 297-326.

A. V. Krusanov. Britanishsky Lev
Chugunov Sergey Alexandrovich
Kaplyansky Boris Evseevich
Mogilevsky Naum Semenovich
Osolodkov Peter Alexeevich
Pakhomov Alexey Fedorovich
Pakulin Vyacheslav Vladimirovich
Porett Alisa Ivanovna
Rusakov Alexander Isaakievich
Samokhvalov Alexander Nikolaevich
Traugot Georgy Nikolaevich
Verbov Mikhail Fedorovich
Zagoskin David Efimovich
Liteiny Ave/Saint Petersburg, city, house 15
Самохвалов А. Н. Общество «Круг художников» // Творчество, 1967
Шихирева О. Н. К истории общества «Круг художников» // Советское искусствознание, 82. М., 1983 Academy of Arts
Academy of Arts
Russian Museum, State
Krasny Treugolnik, plant