Neo-primitivism

Neo-primitivism. A movement or trend in Russian painting in the early 20th century in which influences from the Western avant-garde were combined in a deliberately crude way with features derived from peasant art, lubki (brightly coloured popular prints), and other aspects of Russia's artistic heritage. The main exponents of Neo-primitivism were Goncharova and Larionov, and it was given its name by Alexander Shevchenko in a book published in 1913—Neo-Primitivism: Its Theory, its Possibilities, its Achievements. D. V. Sarabianov (Russian Art, 1990) writes that ‘Chronologically, Russian Neoprimitivism coincided with German Expressionism: born in 1906–07, it was at its height between 1910 and 1913 … In the Donkey's Tail and the Target manifestos … the Neo-primitivists proclaimed their determination to follow in the national artistic traditions … It was this bias towards the national which led to Larionov's and Goncharova's break with the Knave of Diamonds. It had become too slavishly devoted, in their opinion, to French painting … Perhaps the most important distinguishing feature of Russian Neoprimitivism was the fact that it constituted an independent movement, whereas in other countries the style [ primitivism] was just a part of Expressionism, Cubism or Fauvism.’ Among the other painters influenced by Neo-primitivism were David Burliuk, Chagall, and Filonov. It also affected Russian poets, for example Mayakovsky, in their choice of peasant themes or use of deliberate archaisms, incorrect spellings, and other deviations from standard usage. Anthony Parton, author of Mikhail Larionov and the Russian Avant-Garde (1993), writes that ‘Neo-primitivism was not only a vibrant and instinctive style of painting. In its attempt to re-evaluate in painterly terms the visual traditions of the Russian nation and to revitalize art by adopting a more spontaneous and expressive approach, it left its stamp on an entire generation of Russian artists.’