Item #300 [SHORT LIFE OF THE SOCIETY OF RUSSIAN SCULPTORS] Katalog 2-i vystavki skul’ptury Obshchestva russkikh skul’ptorov O.R.S. [i.e. The Catalogue of the Second Exhibition of Sculpture of the Society of Russian Sculptors O.R.S.]

[SHORT LIFE OF THE SOCIETY OF RUSSIAN SCULPTORS] Katalog 2-i vystavki skul’ptury Obshchestva russkikh skul’ptorov O.R.S. [i.e. The Catalogue of the Second Exhibition of Sculpture of the Society of Russian Sculptors O.R.S.]

Moscow: Glavnauka, 1927. Item #300

16 pp. 17,2x13,3 cm. In original printed wrappers. Very good, two close tears of the spine and some spots near the spine.

One of 1000 copies. Very rare.
The catalogue for the 2nd exhibition (of only 4 held by the Society) which took place in 1927 provides names of the members and exhibitors with the addresses, for each work materials and titles are named. The catalogue is supplied with a list of the members of the Society with their positions and the address of the board.

The Society (ORS) was founded in 1926 by former members of the Moscow Union of Artists and Sculptors. The impetus for the creation was the success of the sculptural department of the OBIS exhibition held in early 1925. The Society consisted of almost all famous Moscow sculptors, and their ranks was regularly replenished by the graduates of the sculpture faculty of Vkhutemas-Vkhutein. About 20 people were constantly members, 10-15 more sculptors were involved as exhibitors (candidates). Many participants were simultaneously members of other societies and unions: Korolev and Kepinov - OMH, Chaikov - «4 iskusstva», Shadr - AHRR; however, the ORS flourished tolerance for various trends in art (including the «left»).

The meetings were held mainly in the workshop of Ryndziunskaia. Reports were read and discussed on the problems of sculpture like Ternovets made a report «On Contemporary Sculpture in the West», architect Konstantin Melnikov with a report «On Cooperation of Sculptors and Architects in Contemporary Construction».

The ORS didn’t have a program but they were determined to strengthened position of sculpture as an independent art genre and paid a lot of attention to raising the level of professionalism. The ORS held 4 exhibitions: in March-April 1926 (the State Historical Museum), in April 1927 (the Museum of the Revolution), in June 1929 and June 1931 (both - the Pushkin Museum), which were partly financed by Glavnauka. The exhibition committee was engaged in selection of works for the exhibitions, at different times it included Vatagin, Efimov, Zlatovratsky, Chaikov, Domogatsky, Mukhina.

If the first exhibition declared a sculpture as an independent genre with such strong works like “Flame of Revolution” by Mukhina, the second was supposed to consolidate its positions. For the opening of the 2nd exhibition the monumental Chaikov’s sculpture «The Tower of October» was set in front of the Museum of the Revolution. The exhibition was attended by 33 masters who showed 133 works, including: «The Walking Elephant» and «Seated Peacock» by Vatagin, «A.S. Pushkin» by Domogatsky, “The Wind» by Mukhina, «Sitting Woman (Stasya)» by Lebedeva, «Molodaika» by Ryndzyunskaya, «Oktyabrenok» by Sandomirskaya, «Bather», «Mostostroitel» by Chaikov.

Since the late 1920s, the ORS was attacked by Proletkult theorists for lack of «ideological content» and adherence to «bourgeois» forms of «sculpture». In the spring of 1932 the Society was liquidated.

Worldcat locates only one copy in Getty Research Institute.

Price: $750.00

See all items in Art, Art Exhibition Catalogue