Making the stones to be alive or Remembering Ernst Neizvestny
Prominent sculptor Ernst Neizvestny was born in the Urals, studied at a secondary art school in Leningrad, and was in army at a machinegun military academy in the Mary province of Turkmenistan. During the Great Patriotic War, he was involved in military operations, including participating in the storm of Budapest. He was heavily wounded and next three year after being wounded and having a broken spine, he used crutches to walk.
He undergo many severe trials, and he himself became a sculptor of his fate. Neizvestny was enrolled at the Art Academy of Latvia, and then he continued his education at the Surikov Moscow Art Institute. Many famous poets and artists, including Vladimir Vysotsky, Bella Akhmadulina, Evgeny Evtushenko and others were often the guests of the sculptor’s workshop.
The great sculptor Ernst Neizvestny travelled a lot, leaving his impressive sculptural works as a keepsake in different cities.
His sculptures, often based on the forms of the human heroic images, are noted for their allusions and symbols that could not leave anyone indifferent. It was as if he immediately saw a super task, to which he strove with all his essence. A human being and nature in many of his sculptors seem to be in an inextricable “cohesion”, and to understand the meaning of his works, expressively frozen, you just need to feel them with your heart.
In 1974, having arrived in Ashgabat at the invitation of the architect Abdula Akhmedov, Ernst Neizvestny executed a monumental installation in concrete that remains at the Mekan palace in the capital. In addition, in the interior of the main Ashgabat library, the master reproduced the Parthian goddess of love Rodogune in a tree.
Much later, about the time spent in the capital of Turkmenistan, the sculptor said: “I have very good memories of Ashgabat, where there was a wonderful creative atmosphere, incredible oriental hospitality. That was one of the best moments of my life, I was absolutely happy.”
As fate has willed it, the legendary sculptor emigrated first to Switzerland and then he moved to the US. He visited Ashgabat again in 1994, having the idea to create a new sculpture, which, unfortunately, was not destined to come true.
The graphic artist described his work as follows: “I am a former officer, and this is forever. And I tend to give preference to specific and strong-willed decisions. It run in my blood. This is firmly connected with my very essence as a monumental sculptor.”
In April 2020, Ernst Neizvestny would have celebrated his 95th birthday; all of his greatest installations are the priceless present to descendants, as they keep the soul of the great master who had the gift to enhance the stone. Ashgabat still keeps the beautiful gifts that became the part of city’s architecture forever.
