Most artists and creative people don’t focus as much on logic and verbal or analytical expression as the rest of us. They do things differently. Inspiration and creative expression are much more valued than following the status quo.
They get productive in deeper pools of meaning and experience, which isn’t accessed logically.
No group of artists working in mainstream society has overcome more barriers and been more innovative than the resilient and visionary masters of life-igniting imagery you’re about to meet.
They made the best of artistic, professional, and personal challenges in the first half of the 20th Century. This involved digging into their subconscious minds to create the epic works of art described here.
This emotional wisdom also enabled them to do it while overcoming lifelong discrimination, economic hardship, cultural and professional rejection, and tumultuous social change.
As Jews, they couldn't even access many educational advantages available to the rest of their generation. So many were, for all intents and purposes, self-educated.
To survive and establish revolutionary art forms, they unleashed their deep inner resources and excitedly shared their unique visions for the world to see.
They rediscovered an ancient animal capacity to feed on the energy sparked by pain, fear, and suffering.
This provided a level of creativity and emotional health that continues to enrich our lives with deep insights into the human spirit and beauty.
The author also invites readers to listen in as this gathering of extraordinarily generous men and women helps us navigate our own challenging era.
Russian Avant-Garde Through the Eyes of Jewish Artists
This hardcover book, printed in the US, is the perfect reference for anyone interested in the Russian Avant-Garde movement. Spanning over 240 pages, this book features hundreds of colorful illustrations dedicated to 23 Jewish artists who have dedicated their lives to this groundbreaking art form. With detailed biographies and a comprehensive overview of the Russian Avant-Garde movement, this book is a must-have for any art enthusiast.
Yuri Tsapayev is a writer, composer and filmmaker. He has work appearing or forthcoming in over a dozen venues, including Arguments and Facts (Novgorod edition), New Life, Artodox Publishing, Art Fog Media and Paralux Productions. When he’s not amusing strangers with his writing, Yuri is most likely frightening friends with his new film ideas.
Yuri Tsapayev was born in Simferopol, Crimea Republic. He studied music at the Simferopol School of Music and graduated from the State University of St. Petersburg (Russia) with MS in mathematics.
During Russia's famous Perestroika period, he established fine art galleries in Novgorod, Tver and Moscow. In the late 1990s, Yuri published a newspaper Artodox Art Review, dedicated to arts and culture. With his friends in Tver, he founded a movie production company Beliy Svet, which is now a successful film studio.
Yuri moved to San Francisco in 2001 to pursue a career as an art dealer. He traveled extensively throughout the United States exhibiting his collection of contemporary Russian art. Despite his focus on art, Yuri did not forget his musical roots: during this same time, he composed and recorded three albums under the name Indie Knight.
In 2008, while attending the Hollywood Film Institute, he made an impressive transition to filmmaking with the sensitive and critically acclaimed short film Tick Knock, officially selected for the Barcelona and Chicago short film festivals in 2009.
Driven by a passion for filmmaking, Yuri quickly honed his skills and earned a reputation for his stylish visuals that complemented complex storylines. Early in 2009, he put it all on the line to make a feature film Contractor's Routine (Buffalo Niagara Film Festival official selection, 2010).
Yuri Tsapayev is currently working as a director and producer on his next dramas at Paralux Productions and as editor-in-chief at Art Fog Media.