Alexandra Exter
Who is up for a bit of Cubism?
Alexandra Exter, the artist we present today, was a Ukrainian painter, designer, and decorator. Born in a well-to-do Belarusian family, Exter took courses at the Fine Arts School in Kiev until 1907, before leaving to study at the Grande Chaumière Academy in Paris. She befriended Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, who introduced her to Gertrude Stein. From 1910 to 1912, Exter’s works were deeply influenced by Cubism, though she soon incorporated Futurism into her art. She participated in the pictorial experiments of both the Jack of Diamonds group and the Russian Cubo-Futurists, showing her works in a number of Russian, Ukrainian, and European avant-garde shows. Her career saw a true turning point with her audacious work for the décor and costumes of the Kamerny Theater in Moscow, founded by Alexandre Tairov, in particular for the play Salomé.
Founded in Kiev in 1918, her studio represented one of the major places for Avant-Garde art in Kiev. After returning to Moscow in 1921, she adopted Constructivist theories, without adhering to their rejection of easel painting. The civil war caused many disasters and Exter did not escape them. After going through physical and psychological tragedies caused by the civil war in Russia, Exter escaped the country in 1924, under the pretext of exhibiting works in the Venice Biennale. She stayed in Italy for a brief period of time and then went to Paris. She remained there until her death in 1949.
P.S. Learn more about Alexandra Exter's exquisite life and oeuvre. <3
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