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Ilya BolotovskiyAmerican abstract artist of Russian origin.
Date of Birth: 01.07.1907
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Emigration to the United States
- The Ten
- Geometric Abstraction
- Three-Dimensional Paintings
- Death and Legacy
Early Life and Education
Ilya Bolotowsky was born on July 1, 1907, in St. Petersburg, Russia, to an assimilated Jewish family. His father, Julius J. Bolotovsky, was a practicing lawyer, while his mother, Anastasia Abramovna Shapiro, was a graphic artist.
Emigration to the United States
Following the Russian Revolution, the family fled to Baku, and then to Constantinople in 1921. Bolotowsky attended Jesuit school in Constantinople and immigrated to the United States in 1923. He settled in New York City and studied at the National Academy of Design.
The Ten
During his studies, Bolotowsky joined the artistic group The Ten, which included other young artists such as Louis Schanker, Adolph Gottlieb, Mark Rothko, and Joseph Solman. The group challenged the conservatism of the Academy and held exhibitions of "independent art."
Geometric Abstraction
In the 1930s, Bolotowsky embraced geometric abstraction. In 1936, he co-founded American Abstract Artists, an organization dedicated to promoting abstract art and supporting artists. During the late 1930s and early 1940s, Bolotowsky was influenced by neo-plasticism and the work of Piet Mondrian.
Three-Dimensional Paintings
In the 1960s, Bolotowsky began creating paintings where the imagery existed in three dimensions, often intersected by vertical and diagonal bars. He also taught painting at Long Island University.
Death and Legacy
Ilya Bolotowsky passed away in 1981 in a tragic accident when he mistook an empty elevator shaft for the elevator car and fell to his death. His works continue to be celebrated as influential examples of Cubism and geometric abstraction.
