THEY WILL UNDERSTAND US
IN 100 YEARS.
LAZAR KHIDEKEL
Where: National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus
When: 14/02/2020 – 15/04/2020
When: 14/02/2020 – 15/04/2020
As part of the #UNOVIS100 project
More about the project
More about the project
[ about the project ]
Lazar Khidekel was one of the founders of the UNOVIS art association in Vitebsk, which became the center of the world avant-garde. A student of Marc Chagall, El Lissitzky, and Kazimir Malevich, he was a prominent Suprematist artist whose early works anticipated minimal-art. He entered history as the world's first Suprematist architect, innovator, and author of the first architectural ecological manifesto of the XX century and the projects of futuristic and eco-cities that were way ahead of their time.
A personal exhibition of Lazar Khidekel's work, the first in the history of Belarus, opened at the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus on the day of the 100th anniversary of UNOVIS, February 14, 2020.
Among the guests at the opening ceremony were participants of the international scientific and practical conference dedicated to 100 years of UNOVIS, which opened in Vitebsk on February 12 and closed in Minsk on February 14. The opening was attended by the heirs of the legendary art group creators: Lazar Khidekel's family - the renowned architect and designer Mark Khidekel, with his wife Regina Khidekel, and their son Roman Khidekel, an urban architect. Also present were the grand-niece of Kazimir Malevich, Ivona Malevich, and the great-granddaughter of El Lissitzky, Valeria Lissitzky.
About 100 original works and UNOVIS documents from the personal archive and collection of the Khidekel family were brought to Minsk from New York for the exhibition. It included early Suprematist compositions, projects of the futuristic cities such as Aero-cities and Garden-cities, space stations, as well as the legendary first architectural environmental manifesto AERO.
The exhibition was complemented by animations created by Roman Khidekel - fantasies on the space theme based on his famous grandfather's work.
Among the guests at the opening ceremony were participants of the international scientific and practical conference dedicated to 100 years of UNOVIS, which opened in Vitebsk on February 12 and closed in Minsk on February 14. The opening was attended by the heirs of the legendary art group creators: Lazar Khidekel's family - the renowned architect and designer Mark Khidekel, with his wife Regina Khidekel, and their son Roman Khidekel, an urban architect. Also present were the grand-niece of Kazimir Malevich, Ivona Malevich, and the great-granddaughter of El Lissitzky, Valeria Lissitzky.
About 100 original works and UNOVIS documents from the personal archive and collection of the Khidekel family were brought to Minsk from New York for the exhibition. It included early Suprematist compositions, projects of the futuristic cities such as Aero-cities and Garden-cities, space stations, as well as the legendary first architectural environmental manifesto AERO.
The exhibition was complemented by animations created by Roman Khidekel - fantasies on the space theme based on his famous grandfather's work.
EXHIBITION
At the core of the concept lay the prophetic phrase of Lazar Khidekel: «They will understand us in 100 years.»
The work "Intersecting Lines," created in 1920, featuring a suprematist lattice reminiscent of the world-famous hashtag, became the main visual of the project #UNOVIS100. This element represents the ideal ratio of density and space, black and white, and is one of the idioms that Khidekel introduced into the language of Suprematism. The hashtag is also serves as a reference to the IT sector for which Belarus is currently renowned. To emphasize this idea, young Belarusian architects and programmers were engaged in preparation for the exhibition, creating projects in augmented and virtual reality that brought Khidekel's futuristic city to life.
The work "Intersecting Lines," created in 1920, featuring a suprematist lattice reminiscent of the world-famous hashtag, became the main visual of the project #UNOVIS100. This element represents the ideal ratio of density and space, black and white, and is one of the idioms that Khidekel introduced into the language of Suprematism. The hashtag is also serves as a reference to the IT sector for which Belarus is currently renowned. To emphasize this idea, young Belarusian architects and programmers were engaged in preparation for the exhibition, creating projects in augmented and virtual reality that brought Khidekel's futuristic city to life.
«100 years of UNOVIS, an art group founded in Vitebsk by the students and tutors of the local art school, is one of the most outstanding events in the country's cultural life in 2020. In Belarus, this date will be celebrated by multiple dedicated events, but the largest will be #UNOVIS100. Due to this initiative we are starting the anniversary year with the exhibition of Lazar Khidekel that will be the first ever in the history of our country, and we will witness a truly unique happening - greeting the families of the legendary founders of UNOVIS in their historical homeland».
Yuri Bondar, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Belarus
[ events ]
The bilingual book "They Will Understand Us in 100 Years. Lazar Khidekel" was published by the Belarusian-Jewish Cultural Heritage Center in collaboration with the Lazar Khidekel Society, edited by Regina Khidekel.
A special program of master classes for children was developed in partnership with the Architectural Thinking School.
A special program of master classes for children was developed in partnership with the Architectural Thinking School.
THEY WILL UNDERSTAND US IN 100 YEARS
By another amazing coincidence, Khidekel's first personal exhibition in his homeland took place in a leap year, exactly on his birthday - on February 29. On Lazar Khidekel's birthday, an open Suprematist party was held with the participation of the Khidekel family.
[ to read ]
INTERESTING
A unique opportunity to see the exhibition online!
«Here one can find minimalistic suprematist compositions, aero-cities and architectons, drawings of cosmic houses, layouts of futuristic towns».
«When Chagall was asked: "Do you remember Khidekel?", he replied: "Of course, he was one of my favorite students. He would always protect me from that bandit Malevich».
[ thanks for the support ]
MASS MEDIA
«UNOVIS was not just a revolution in art, it was also a revolution in architecture. All of the future architecture of the XX century began in Vitebsk, where Malevich started creating his architectons - houses for the people that will live in space. Just take a look at the modern cosmic stations that are now in space».
«The UNOVIS heritage is scattered all over the world, but every museum or collector is inevitably proud of the exhibits bearing the names of Malevich and other artists of the Vitebsk Renaissance. Lazar Khidekel is one of them. And the return of his artwork back to his homeland is a truly historical event».
«To emphasize this idea we have engaged Belarusian programmers in this project. Not all are able to appreciate the complexity of Khidekel's futuristic cities just by looking at his drawings. The augmented and virtual reality technologies will help to present his projects in 3D. Due to augmented reality, Khidekel's Aero-city has come alive».
[ to watch ]
VIDEO
TV-channel ONТ
The National Art Museum hosts an exhibition of a prominent suprematist artist Lazar Khidekel.
Watch
The National Art Museum hosts an exhibition of a prominent suprematist artist Lazar Khidekel.
Watch
TV-channel Belarus 1
Large story on the celebration of 100 years of UNOVIS, International Conference and exhibition "They Will Understand Us in 100 Years"
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Large story on the celebration of 100 years of UNOVIS, International Conference and exhibition "They Will Understand Us in 100 Years"
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Informational portal Shalom.by
Video interview with Maya Katznelson. Lazar Khidekel exhibition: how to understand suprematism?
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Video interview with Maya Katznelson. Lazar Khidekel exhibition: how to understand suprematism?
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TV-channel Belarus 24
"They Will Understand Us in 100 Years" - Khidekel's innovative ideas defining the time!
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"They Will Understand Us in 100 Years" - Khidekel's innovative ideas defining the time!
Watch
Exhibition curators:
Maya Katznelson, founder of the Belarusian-Jewish Cultural Heritage Center
Ekaterina Izofatova, Candidate of Fine Arts, head of the Modern Belarusian Art department
Poster design: Vladimir Gorz
Maya Katznelson, founder of the Belarusian-Jewish Cultural Heritage Center
Ekaterina Izofatova, Candidate of Fine Arts, head of the Modern Belarusian Art department
Poster design: Vladimir Gorz
Belarus National Commission for UNESCO
Goethe-Institute in Belarus
Vitebsk People's Art School History Museum
Level 80 architecture firm
Feeling Digital company
Zalkind Home Hotel
Svet Goroda Advertising Agency
Children's School of Architectural Thinking
Willing Hotel
The works of Lazar Khidekel presented at the exhibition and published in the catalogue are the courtesy of the Lazar Khidekel family.
Goethe-Institute in Belarus
Vitebsk People's Art School History Museum
Level 80 architecture firm
Feeling Digital company
Zalkind Home Hotel
Svet Goroda Advertising Agency
Children's School of Architectural Thinking
Willing Hotel
The works of Lazar Khidekel presented at the exhibition and published in the catalogue are the courtesy of the Lazar Khidekel family.
Belarusian-Jewish Cultural Heritage Center
National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus
А1 Company
Lazar Khidekel Society (USA)
National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus
А1 Company
Lazar Khidekel Society (USA)
PROJECT PARTNERS
PROJECT ORGANIZERS