Gely Korzhev

Gely Korzhev (1925-2012), one of the leading figures in Soviet and Russian painting of the second half of the 20th century, is back to Venice. His return to the lagoon takes place exactly 57 years after his participation in the XXXI Biennale. Together with Viktor Popkov, he became a spokesman of “Severe style” at the Pavilion of the USSR that year, presenting the works that sought to find new expressive devices within the framework of Socialist realism, not yet questioned by the artists. The means that would go beyond a strict canon of the Stalinist era.

The exhibition “Gely Korzhev. Back to Venice” is organized by the State Tretyakov Gallery, theInstitute of Russian Realist Art and the Centre of Studies of Russian Art (CSAR) at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice in collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo. It brings to light the relevance of Korzhev’s triptych, his contribution to the exhibition at the Pavilion of 1962, other significant details concerning that exhibition through archival documents, photographs, screenings, and the use of Information and Communication Technologies. Following a large retrospective exhibition of Korzhev’s work at the State Tretyakov Gallery, the project features more than 50 paintings by the master. It is the opportunity to present to the public a complete vision of his oeuvre that will allow for re-evaluation of the judgments once made on the occasion of the XXXI Biennale.