(E-E) Ev.g.e.n.i.j ..K.o.z.l.o.     Berlin                                                  


      (E-E) Evgenij Kozlov: Exhibitions >>

(E-E) Evgenij Kozlov's Participation in the Second TEII Exhibition (1983)
in His Diary and Photographs

Text: Hannelore Fobo, 2021
Chapter 8: Selected, yet removed: House (1982) and Double Painting (1982)
previous page: Chapter 7: Paintings: WASP (1983)
next page: Chapter 9: Excerpts from Kozlov's Diary IV
Table of contents: see bottom of page >>


Chapter 8: Selected, yet removed: House (1982) and Double Painting (1982)

In order to understand Kozlov's selection of works for the exhibition, it is important to know not only what he showed – the works from the Peterhof Book of Hours series, two landscape paintings from 1981 and ‘WASP’ from 1983 described in the previous chapters. It is just as important to know what he decided not to show, or, more exactly, removed from the display – ‘House’ and ‘Double Painting’

E-E-187007 (E-E) Evgenij Kozlov  Дом (прихожане в церкви) / House (Parishioners in Church). Oil on canvas, 89.5 x 102.5 cm, 1982 E-E-187017 (E-E) Evgenij Kozlov  Двойная картина (Милости) / Double Painting (Grace) Oil on canvas, 103 x 69.5 cm, 1982

E-E-187007
(E-E) Evgenij Kozlov
Дом (прихожане в церкви) / House (Parishioners in Church).
Oil on canvas, 89.5 x 102.5 cm, 1982
E-E-187017
(E-E) Evgenij Kozlov
Двойная картина (Милости) / Double Painting (Grace)
Oil on canvas, 103 x 69.5 cm, 1982




It is true that his search for a language of the future left him critical of some earlier paintings – some, not all. For instance, he didn't distance himself from the landscape paintings from 1981. So why did he remove ‘House’ and ‘Double Painting’ from the exhibition? For an ‘unofficial’ artist, opportunities to exhibit works publicly were rare, especially in an important exhibition hall like the Palace of the Youth. It would have made sense to show as many works as possible. Yet Kozlov decided otherwise.

‘House’ and ‘Double Painting’ were both in the second and third lists, and they had both been included in the forth list, a ‘shortlist’ consisting of just three paintings, these two and ‘WASP’. This shortlist was the result of a what Kozlov called a ‘powerful night’ / cильная ночь [sil’naia noch’, p. 4-30] at Novikov's place on 29 March. The evening started with a meeting of Evgenij Kozlov, Timur Novikov, Ivan (Vanya) Sotnikov and Alik (Arkady / Allen) Tager and carried on without Tager. Novikov and Tager also particpated at the Second TEII exhibition, and Kozlov first writes about Novikov's selection for the exhibition on p.4-28, before continuing on p. 4-29-30:

    I spent the night with V. S [Vanya = Ivan Sotnikov] and T. N [Timur Novikov] at the studio. T. N. finished the ‘Zero Object’; it is beautiful and interesting. Before this meeting, these conversations and thoughts, I wasn't sure about which paintings to show at the Dv. [orets] M. [olodezhi] [Palace of the Youth] – those I included in the catalogue file card (1981-1982) or 1983? I think that, at present, the paintings from 1983 best represent my fundamental approach to painting, in all respects. These should be presented now, and not be left for later. (pp.4-29-30)

    …I will exhibit: ‘Brigades’ (House) / ‘Double Painting’ / ‘WASP’ (XX) (p. 4-31; see Chapter 3, fourth list, for original quotes)

It is clear that the discussion with his artist friends had an impact on Kozlov's decision, and since the delivery of the works was set to 31 March (or perhaps postponed to 1 April), there was still time to make changes. It makes sense to assume that discussions about art intensified before a public display of works. Contrary to his artist friends, E-E Kozlov lived and worked in Peterhof, outside Leningrad, and judging by the diary entries, his visits to city centre became more frequent; considering that commuting to the centre of Leningrad took him 90 minutes, he didn't go there every day. Thus, we learn from pp. 4-32 to 4-35 about Kozlov's meeting with Vadim Ovchinnikov – another participating artist – at Alik Tager's studio on 30 March, and about Kozlov’s opinion of Ovchinnikov's works.

But the decision to show ‘House’ and ‘Double Painting’ wasn't a final one. Three days later, from the first to second April – that is, after the meeting with the exhibition committee – Kozlov spent another night at Novikov's place (which he occasionally did when he didn't feel like catching the last train back to Peterhof) and decided to remove both paintings.

Whether his decision was preceded by a discussion with other artists, like that on 29 March, the diary doesn't tell us, but pp. 4-39 to 4-46 present his reflections in some detail. They are the subject of Chapter 9.

Uploaded 18 July 2021
Updated 15 September 2021