1873 -1943 · Moscow, cubo-futurism, suprematism and non-objective art

Mechanized sawyers, gramophones, geometric planes and colored spheres show Ivan Kliun's journey, from cubo-futurism to suprematism then to a very personal luminous abstraction.

Ivan Vasilyevich Klyunkov, known as Ivan Kliun, was born in 1873 in Bolshie Gorky, Vladimir province. His family lived for several years in Ukraine and the young man first worked as an accountant. At the same time, he studied art in Warsaw and then in Moscow, notably in the workshops of Fyodor Rerberg and Ilia Machkov. His meeting with Kazimir Malevich at the beginning of the 20th century became decisive, without eliminating personal research which changed direction several times. In the 1910s, Kliun went through symbolism, cubism and cubo-futurism. His meeting with Kazimir Malevich at the beginning of the 20th century became decisive, without eliminating personal research which changed direction several times. In the 1910s, Kliun went through symbolism, cubism and cubo-futurism. His meeting with Kazimir Malevich at the beginning of the 20th century became decisive, without eliminating personal research which changed direction several times. In the 1910s, Kliun went through symbolism, cubism and cubo-futurism. His meeting with Kazimir Malevich at the beginning of the 20th century became decisive, without eliminating personal research which changed direction several times. In the 1910s not just a subject: it becomes a method of constructing the face and movement. In 1915, Kliun participated in the futuristic exhibition Tramway V then at 0.10, the founding manifestation of suprematism. He signed a manifesto with Malevich and Mikhail Menkov distributed for the exhibition. His suprematist compositions balance rectangles, circles and diagonals on a space without horizons. He joined the Supremus group and then explored spherical shapes where light and color seem to pass through matter. After the Revolution, Kliun headed the central exhibition office of the plastic arts department of Narkompros, taught at the workshops that became Vkhoutemas and participated at Inkhouk. He defends non-objective art but separates himself from certain productivist positions. In the 1920s, his painting evolved towards purism, then returned to more readable still lifes, while retaining a geometric organization. This adaptation also reflects the political hardening against the avant-garde. Kliun continued drawings, theoretical writings and private works until his death in Moscow in 1943. The "Ivan Kliun" selection notably compared Gramophone and Non-objective composition - Self-portrait with a saw. His reading favors color.

Kliun does not follow a single abstraction: he puts it to the test, from the fragmented machine to the suprematist plane then to the sphere crossed by light.