In 1921 a new organization of artists was created in Moscow, which was at first, until 1922, called "The Union of Poets and Artists", "Art-Life" and later renamed Makovetz. One of the leading founders were V.Chekrygin, and P.Bromirsky. Initially the movement members were V.Bart, S.Gerasimov, L.Zhegin, K,Zefirov, V.Pestel, S.Romanovich, R.Florenskaya, A.Fonvizin, N.Chernyshov, A.Shevchenko and others. In addition, other artists participated in the organization exhibitions: L.Bruni, K.Istomin, N.Krymov, V.Ryndin, N.Simonovich-Yefimova, N.Sinezubov.
Cover for Journal "Makovetz" N1, 1922, Cover for Journal "Makovetz" N2, 1922.
by S.Romanovich. by V. Chekrygin.
In 1922 the Journal "Makovetz" was created, edited by the poet A.Chernyshev, a member among the literary group and brother of the artist N.Chernyshev. In this journal works were printed by P.Antokolsky, N.Aseev, K.Bolshakov, B.Pastenak, V.Khlebnikov. The esteemed philosopher P.Florensky has written a letter to the journal in support of the group. It is worth noticing that only 2 issues of the journal have seen light. The third issue was stopped by the censorship.
The members of Makovetz criticized the Futurism Avant-garde movements for what they called focusing on "separate elements of form", leaving out the "spiritual essence of the artist". In their manifesto "Our prologue", whose leading author was V.Chekrygin, they announced the end of "Analytical Art" as a destructive art taking apart its elements. Instead they suggested combining these elements again "in a powerful synthesis". The living, religious experience lay in the basis of their creation, thus they have taken for the movement's name the name of the hill on which the Troiyza-Sergiev Lavra stood in the town Sergyev Posad, where Florensky has lived for most of his life. However, they have taken for the canon of their style not so much from the medieval Russian Icon tradition, but more from the Western Renaissance, as well as Russian Romanticism and Symbolism. The members were characteristically searching for heroic-monumental style.
The manifest states: "Rebirth of art is only possible in strict following from the masters of old and an unconditional resurrection of the living, eternal beginnings... We appreciate the high feeling which is born by monumental art... From here it is our task to turn the feeling into a concept, by finding the limits of relationship between the material (form) and the spiritual (emotions of the artist)." A great deal of attention was given to the philosophical and formal aspects of art.
A.Chernyshev, editor, and N.Chernyshev, artistic editor of the "Makovetz" journal, 1914.
The group has held three exhibitions: in 1922, 1924, 1925.
Members of the Makovetz group in front of the building of the Museum of Fine Arts,
where the first exhibition has taken place, May 13th 1922.
In 1926 L.Zhegin has left Makovetz, after experiencing both government pressure and internal strife between the group members (especially after the death of V.Chekrygin in 1922), who did not allow him to exhibit his students' work. and founded the Path of Painting movement. N.Chernyshev and K.Istomin have joined the Four Arts Society. That year the group was dispersed.
Members of the Makovetz group in the VKhUTEMAS auditorium, 1926. Left to right: V.Ryndin,
N.Chernyshev, I.Zaviadlov, N.Maximov, S.Gerasimov, K.Zefirov, L.Bruni.
