Georgian, 1892–1969
A Russian painter and representative of Cubo-Futurism, Kirill was the older brother of the poet Ilya Zdanevich. He entered the Academy of Fine Arts in Saint Petersburg in 1911. The following year, he moved to Paris where he continued his studies at the École des Beaux-Arts.
Influenced by Cubo-Futurism, he created “orchestral painting.” Although he became known as a decorator in Saint Petersburg, his painting developed in Georgia, specifically in Tbilisi, where he spent a large part of his life. Furthermore, his contribution to the international recognition of the Georgian avant-garde was considerable. He is credited with discovering many Georgian artists.
Zdanevich worked throughout his life as a graphic designer, attempting to represent an esoteric space of the inner world through the flatness of a sheet of paper.
Like most artists who never had the opportunity to emigrate, Zdanevitch joined the Moscow Society of Painters, but his style fell short of the regime’s expectations. In 1949, he was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison based on a false accusation. He was released in 1957 and later rehabilitated. He spent the last years of his life creating illustrations, stage designs, and decorations. He died in 1969 in Tbilisi.