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Serge Poliakoff Biography
Serge Poliakoff, born on January 8, 1900, in Moscow, emerged as a pivotal figure in the post-war European abstract art movement. His journey from a tumultuous childhood in Russia to becoming a celebrated artist in Paris encapsulates a remarkable tale of resilience, innovation, and artistic evolution.
Poliakoff was the thirteenth of fourteen children in a family where his father, a Kyrgyz, supplied horses to the Russian army and owned a racing stable. This affluent background provided Poliakoff with a culturally rich upbringing, exposing him to the arts from a young age. However, the Russian Revolution of 1917 drastically altered his life's trajectory, forcing the family to flee Russia. After a perilous journey through the Caucasus, Poliakoff found refuge in Constantinople in 1919, marking the beginning of his nomadic life across Europe.
His early years were characterized by a struggle for survival, during which he honed his skills as a guitarist, a talent that would later play a crucial role in his life. Poliakoff's musical journey took him through Sofia, Belgrade, Vienna, and Berlin before he finally settled in Paris in 1923. It was in Paris that Poliakoff's artistic career began to take shape. Initially, he continued to support himself through music, playing in Russian cabarets while exploring his passion for painting.
Poliakoff's artistic evolution was significantly influenced by his encounters with key figures of the abstract art movement, including Wassily Kandinsky, Sonia and Robert Delaunay, and Otto Freundlich. These interactions, particularly with Kandinsky, catalyzed Poliakoff's shift towards abstract art. His early works, characterized by academic themes, gradually gave way to a distinctive abstract style that prioritized color and form over figurative representation.
By the mid-20th century, Poliakoff had established himself as a leading figure in the Tachisme movement, part of the broader 'New' École de Paris. His paintings, known for their bold color juxtapositions and irregular geometric shapes, reflected a deep engagement with the materiality of paint and the expressive potential of color. Poliakoff's work was not just a visual experience but a "plastic poem," as he described it, where silence and subtlety played as much a role as the vibrant colors.
Despite the absence of a clear evolution in his style, Poliakoff's work continually renewed itself, maintaining a dialogue between form and color that he likened to musical continuity. This analogy to music was not incidental; Poliakoff's background as a musician deeply informed his approach to painting, where rhythm, harmony, and composition played integral roles.
Poliakoff's contributions to abstract art were recognized through numerous exhibitions and retrospectives across Europe and the United States. His works are part of major museum collections worldwide, attesting to his enduring influence on the post-war art scene. Poliakoff became a French citizen in 1962, a testament to his deep connection to Paris, the city that had been his home and the center of his artistic life for nearly four decades.
Serge Poliakoff's legacy is that of an artist who bridged the worlds of music and painting, Russia and France, tradition and innovation. His paintings, characterized by their lyrical abstraction and emotional depth, continue to captivate audiences, offering a window into the soul of an artist who sought purity and harmony in his work. Poliakoff passed away on October 12, 1969, in Paris, leaving behind a body of work that continues to inspire and challenge the boundaries of abstract art.
Serge Poliakoff Quotes and
Sales of Works
Ponti Art Gallery selects and deals with paintings by the
artist. Upon request, we provide free estimates and
evaluations, communicate prices, quotations, and current
market values.
If you are interested in BUYING or SELLING works by the
artist, contact us immediately.
If you wish to sell or receive an evaluation of the
works:
Send us a frontal photo of the painting, one of the back,
and one of the signature. Also, indicate the dimensions of
the work. Inform us about the purchase origin of the work
and any kind of available documentation (purchase
receipts, certificates of authenticity, publications). One
of our operators will respond to you on the same day. We
guarantee maximum confidentiality and extreme
professionalism.
If you wish to purchase works by the painter: Contact us
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available works. We also offer the possibility to
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