"David Burliuk: An Artist's Journey" with Myroslav Shkandrij

Join us for the next lecture in our "Artists and Immigrants Series" with Professor Emeritus Myroslav Shkandrij who will discuss the life of David Burliuk (1882–1967). Before immigrating to the United States in 1922 at the age of 40, Burliuk was a well-known artist and writer. He was known as the "Father of Russian Futurism", was part of Der Blaue Reiter group, and studied art in various countries. Although his immigration in many ways meant starting over, Burliuk became an influential figure in the United States. His circle included artists like Chaim Gross, Moses and Raphael Soyer, Louis Michel Eilshemius, Nicolai Cikovsky, George Constant, and many more. The Foundation's archive holds substantial correspondence from the Burliuks to the Grosses, showing their long friendship and appreciation of one another. The talk examines the artist's evolution as he traveled and worked in several countries—most notably Ukraine, Russia, Japan, and the United States. Some features of Burliuk's art remained constant even as he continued to experiment with different styles. This lecture will look at what might have been the deeper sources of his inspiration. Myroslav Shkandrij is Professor Emeritus at the University of Manitoba and presently a Visiting Professor at Columbia University. He has published several books on the cultural and political history of Ukraine and Russia, including recent books on the avant-garde and revolutionary upheavals in Ukraine over the last hundred years. He has also curated several art exhibitions. The virtual program takes place on Wednesday, November 16 at 6 pm EST. The event is free, but donations are appreciated. Registration is required. In celebration of the centennial of Chaim Gross's immigration to the United States, the Foundation is focusing our programming on illuminating the stories of artists and immigrants in the collection. Artists and Immigrants is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Prior lectures can be found on the Foundation's Centennial page.