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Donkey's Tail
Radical Avant-Garde Russian Artists Exhibition Group.
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Donkey's Tail Exhibition Group of Russian Artists: Founded by Larionov, Goncharova 26/09/2023, 10:37
The actual name "Donkey's Tail" was chosen after Larionov read an article
about some French art students who had created a painting by tying a brush to
a donkey's tail, and then showed it at the jury-free Salon des Independants in
Paris. The only art exhibition held by the Donkey's Tail group took place in
Moscow in March 1912, and was the first major all-Russian show of its kind. It
represented a deliberate break with European traditions in favour of work
inspired by native Russian sources. Famous 20th century painters from Russia
who participated, included Kasimir Malevich (1878-1935), inventor of
Suprematism; as well as Lyubov Popova (1889-1924); and Vladimir Tatlin
(1885-1953), founder of Constructivism. Most of the works exhibited were in
the Neo-Primitivist style. Goncharova's religious art (The Four Evangelists,
1910-11, Russian Museum, St Petersburg) was criticized as blasphemous and
caused a public outcry. Shortly afterwards, the Donkey's Tail group disbanded,
whereupon the indefatigable Larionov and Goncharova founded Rayonism
(c.1912-14) - a style of painting based on 'decadent' Orphism - and staged two
more shows - the Target exhibition (1913) and No 4 - Futurists, Rayonists,
Primitives (1914), after which they emigrated to Paris, where they painted
theatrical sets for Sergei Diaghilev and his Ballets Russes. They never returned
to Russia.
More Information
For more about art in Moscow and St Petersburg, see:
- Petrine Art
- Russian Painting 18th Century
- Russian Painting 19th Century
Collections
Works by members of the Donkey's Tail (or Ass's Tail) group hang in many of
the world's best art museums, including: the Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow; the
State Russian Museum, St Petersburg; the Museum of Modern Art, New York;
the Samuel R Guggenheim Museum, New York; Neue Pinakothek, Munich;
Musee National d'Art Moderne, Paris; Kunstmuseum, Basel; and the Tate
Collection, London.
• For a chronological guide to the evolution of Russian painting, see: History of Art Timeline.
• For information about avant-garde painting and sculpture in Russia, see: Homepage.
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