Yuri Volkov

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Nicholas Dudchenko. Word of the Master, battle painters Yuri Volkov.
On the 90th anniversary of battle painters Yu Volkov

From 1972 to 1991 I knew Yury Volkov - versatile and fascinated researchers, artists, arts and fanatically devoted to his calling.

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I had the luck to be admitted in his "creative laboratory" where he perfected his techniques and skills, to build spirit and belief, bravely enduring the hardships of life.
Yuri Volkov intended to be a history of the battle paintings of the twentieth century, one of the great masters of the genre. The artist, whose name is now almost forgotten, once created more than a dozen epics of the Great Patriotic War and the best of them - "The feat of five Black Sea."

This painting - a masterpiece of battle-painting (located at the Simferopol Art Museum) with time, not only did not lose its artistic and ideological significance, but on the contrary, has acquired all the qualities of a work of art, proven. The symbolic significance of Yury Volkov certainly in the film the idea of ​​resistance, fighting spirit, expressed in a highly artistic, work has all the qualities of a true work of art, where the work's content and form are inseparable.

Composition of the painting at its core remains stable form of a triangle, consisting of warm "burning" tones associated rich, powerful and plastic texture and volume, culminating flaming "volcanic" torch. Actually in this fire, and write basic images. The left and right of the flaming "sacrificial fire resistance" with a powerful silhouette of the wounded sailors, mixed with crushed bullets and shrapnel explosions rock shell, torn clothes, torn bandages, blood, loose sleeves, symbolically collected "sacred halo" around the head of the murdered sailor - cold, "smoky", cools tone, as the fading embers fire through which the translucent green lights rockets ... and cook to take the last shot of a German tank ... Outcome of the game is clear - a victory at the cost of sacrifice. Here's the basic idea, and "eternal" theme of the painting Yury Volkov.
The painting was done in spite of the great preliminary work, consistency and complexity picturesque method, "in the same breath," which features all the great works of art. "Truth of life", as claimed by Yuri and what he sought always, of course, conventional in the picture, but the force of conviction or convincing objectivity in the film "The feat of five ...", as in his later things is amazing.
This inspired-embodied subject plan pattern certainly preceded by painstaking work to create sketches, field drawings and sketches. All that "remain in the mind of the artist" and subsequently abandon embodied in the film, first studied, then carefully draw and paint from life. For example, to send a picture of this volcano blazing napalm in the center of the canvas, the artist sets fire to a barrel of oil at the nearest vacant lot, time to write the essay before the arrival of firefighters! From this sketch it and write the main compositional center of the picture. It urged only nature. He adored her and put up any "fantasy." For this, among other things, he had a collection of military ammunition and captured weapons (subsequently withdrawn the relevant authorities). All the characters of the picture Yuri Volkov wrote with his closest friends: Nikolai Voronin, Seeds Radchenko, Nicholas Kutovoi, Yuri Belkin - they loved Yura, admired him and happily posed for his friend, the dedicated artist. The picture created in the difficult post-war years (1947-1948 gg.) Where to get canvas was incredibly difficult, so it was written on two sheets stapled (!), And later, according to Rudolf Podufalov, she was transferred to canvas Kiev restorers. Should also be noted that the whole subject plan for material carried conviction cabinet textured masonry paint in different ways: a brush and palette knife, scraper or with a wire brush and all kinds of special features which are already invented, developed and applied to perfection in his picturesque method of enthusiastic young master .
Since all of our plans, he had certainly check with nature, it could be interesting to see the device easier to work in the open air (that is - in the open air). In his apartment and studio on the street. Revolution, 37 Yuri showed me a very funny invention: a small diorama - a kind of scene, which was illuminated from within by several colored lights. With rheostat it increases or decreases the voltage of some lamps, recreating the state in the morning, evening, etc. In this space, the artist laid out the subject plan: stones, weapons, soldier killed in an overcoat, shells and other ammunition - all "naturally" made of wood, cloth, wax, and other materials on the scale of the diorama! Then sprinkled all "combat dust" and ... worked quietly for as long as necessary. So he wrote sketches for paintings, "One of the many", "Chersonese deadlock", etc.
At the time of writing, painting Yuri Volkov was already "rich" personal experience of war, to feel as they say "in their own skin." He has experienced many dramatic episodes, with his impressionable nature art related subsequently at our meetings.
... 1941 ... Retreat and wounded. Captured. The most severe conditions of the POW camp at Lubny - it was a clay pit, surrounded by barbed wire on top. The continuing fall rains, hunger and cold, open wound, under the feet water, clay, dozens of dead bodies of soldiers ...
Yuri recalled: ".. after the first attempt fails, the guard sent me the machine, but when he saw that I crossed, just pushed me back into the slimy pit quarry filled with mud to the knees and muck stiff bodies of prisoners ...". On the third attempt, Yuri Volkov managed to escape - when the guards converged on a smoke, at night in the pouring rain, he crawls under the barrier, wanders in the rear more than forty days, eating what God sends, will be hundreds of miles of the occupied territory and gets "home" ...

In January 1942, Volkov is witnessing the tragic death of Eupatorium marines. He said: "All night heard explosions and shooting ... in the early morning, I saw black jackets on the sand, washed by the surf, the bodies of dead Marines. They were many, and it is indelibly etched in my memory, made a tragic experience ... From the top, from the balcony of his apartment revealed to me the whole tragedy of the night battle. "

Soon after raid ... Yuri Volkov, was unable to avoid arrest and verification. Learning that he was a local artist, the guards in the camp - "potato town" in Simferopol near the train station. Hence, because of its flexibility and thinness, he manages to escape again!

Late at night, he gently knocked on the door of the apartment acquaintances of his teacher. "When at last the door opened, I saw a completely terrified face of his wife battle painters N.S.Samokisha and embarrassed." "Yura, we can not take you" - was the answer. "The horror, the fear on their faces for a long time I think of her, and I went to Perekop. Several days and nights went, knocking out power, and I was again caught at Perekop already. " The fate of this time saved him from being shot, "I was stripped, see the icon on the neck (icon - triptych, the blessing of the mother), it was removed, inspected, opened ... , Were talking, and then locked me in the dugout and soon led another, the same fugitive ... At dusk we, barefoot, in their underwear took over the frozen Sivash German soldier. It was clear that we have decided to shoot. We walked across the ice in a light fog, can not see anything ahead, were thought to run, and suddenly the German suddenly falls, drops his rifle, and he was sliding on the ice, stopped right at our feet. Pushing back his gun, we went a little farther and faster, the German began to lag behind, until he was gone in a damp fog ... then we heard a shot ... then a second ... and we ran ...! Ran across the ice, then on the steppe ... and finally, the night came upon a fold. " They sheltered and heated shepherds - Kherson shepherds.

... Yuri, recalled: "When we finally realized that" escaped "from death, completely naked and barefoot, and the need to somehow survive, and was the middle of January - to be saved now from the icy steppe winds and frost. Old shepherd with girlygoy led us in the morning to the steppe and showed where to get the clothes ... there were thousands, slightly covered with earth, our soldiers ... we took some clothes, overcoats ... all boiled down, and so be saved ... ".

Lord, your ways are mysterious ...

Spring 43rd Yuri Volkov falls under tank attack Soviet forces .., then - in a penal battalion .. is injured .. and the Medal "For Courage"! From this moment begins the formation of battle painters Yuri Volkov. He draws a lot from life, is authorized command in front sketches, which later become the preparatory material for his paintings. Awarded the Order of the Red Star! Then medals for taking Prague, Budapest, Vienna! Thousands of kilometers of military roads, dozens of pictures of the war, made in wartime conditions.
Finally, Victory! Wolf returns to his Evpatoria, works hard, writes from life, draw, think in sketches and outline a number of battle-pieces. Writes and puts the picture "Do not go", "On the road of Stalingrad." In 1947, Yuri Volkov joined the Union of Artists. In 1948 he wrote his brilliant film "The feat of five Black Sea." In 50 years, Yuri Volkov - already known Soviet artist, his painting "The feat five ..." reproduces, producing postcards, etc. Pavlenko writer spoke of him as a very talented artist - Infantrymen of the time. Until 1957 Volkov wrote film "The Reckoning", "Chersonese deadlock," will perform illustrations for the book: I. Stadnyuk - "Heart of a Soldier", P.Pavlenko - "Steppe sun" E.Yung - "Kirill of Sevastopol", etc.

Finally, Yuri Volkov nominated for the title of "Honored Artist of the USSR." In 1960, he paints a picture "One of the many," performs at St. mural. Elias and ST. Nicholas ... From this time the artist Yuri Volkov comes reclusive life period. Why? For whatever reason, as a rapidly developing artist, talented, famous and have a recognized master, becoming a hermit? Not claimed, does not receive orders and contracts for creative paintings to so many in those days, exhibitions: regional, all anniversaries, etc. .. Everyone who was close to the artist, remember that with 60 years until his death Yu.V.Volkov does not put any more of the picture, does not participate in official events and public life of the Union of Artists.

http://evpatoriya-history.info/book/...v-batalist.php

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Works Yury Volkov.

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Сообщение от Artem ; 2496001 "

mural in the church of St.. Elias and the Cathedral of St.. Nicholas ... From this time the artist Yuri Volkov comes reclusive period of life. Why ? For whatever reason , as a rapidly developing artist, talented , well-known and already recognized master , becomes a hermit ? Not claimed , does not receive orders and contracts for creative paintings to so many in those days, exhibitions : republican, union , anniversary , etc. .. Everyone who was close to the artist , remember that from the 60 's until his death Yu.V.Volkov does not expose any more of the picture , does not participate in official events and public life of the Union of Artists .

Too high and far ahead of his time away from the crowd ...