Igor Alekseevich Novikov, also Igor Alexejewitsch Nowikow, (Russian): Новиков, Игорь Алексеевич (born 2 January 1961 in, Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic) is a Swiss-Russian painter, art theorist, philosopher, artist and member of the Russian Academy of Arts. Igor Novikov belongs to one of the areas of postmodern art, Sots Art. He belongs to the generation of Moscovian Soviet Nonconformist Art painters who have been shaped by the demise of the Soviet Union.
Life Igor Novikov was born in a family of a famous artist academician Alexey Novikov (Russian: Новиков Алексей Иванович) member of the Imperial Academy of Arts. He belongs to the generation of Moscovian Soviet Nonconformist Art painters who have been shaped by the demise of the Soviet Union. Art Igor Novikov belongs to one of the areas of postmodern art, Sots Art, which has developed in the USSR within the framework of an alternative culture that opposes state ideology. A parody in Novikov's paintings of official art and images of modern mass culture in general, which is reflected in its ironic title, which combined the concepts of social realism and pop art. Igor Novikov creates his own style of drawing, his philosophy in painting, his own direction – suggestisms . Igor Novikov now lives and works on Zurich, Switzerland. Igor Novikov grew up in Moscow. He attended the Ilja-Repin primary and secondary school of Fine Arts. In 1981, he started to study at the Moscow Academy of Fine Arts Vasily Surikov, the central institute for fine arts in the Soviet Union. In 1987 he completed his studies with the Diploma in Painting. Novikov List of Russian artists the term Soviet Nonconformist Art refers to art produced in the former Soviet Union from 1953 to 1990 (after the death of Joseph Stalin until the advent of Perestroika and Glasnost) outside of the rubric of Socialist Realism. Afterwards he founded with young colleagues the colony of artists "Furmanny Lane" in Moscow within the movement of Russian Soviet Nonconformist Art and was member of the group until the closure in 1991. He is considered one of the most influential figures in Nonconformist Art before and after the fall of the Iron Curtain in Russia. "No! and the Conformists”, State Russian Museum, St.Petersburg, catalogue issued. In 1986 he had a personal exhibition at the “Remont” gallery, Warsaw, Poland. Novikov joined the Union of Soviet Artists 1987, and after the fall of the Iron Curtain in Russia.
His "Red and White” exhibition occurred in 1989 in Hala GWARDIA, Warsaw, Poland; he published a catalogue for it.
Igor Novikov received the opportunity for first exhibitions as a student. After the participating in several group exhibitions in Russia, he was permitted to exhibit abroad.
1990' “Furmanny Lane” was exhibitions at the City Museum Le Manoir de la Ville de Martigny, Switzerland, with catalogue. 1992 Personal exhibition at Villa Turque Le Corbusier, EBEL, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, catalogue.
1991's exhibitions "NEW Conformists Exhibitions”, and Anselm Kiefer, Georg Baselitz, Torun, Poland, with catalogue.
Igor A. Novikov Solo retrospective national exhibitions took place 1993 in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow (solo exhibition) and 1994 within the comprehensive collective exhibit of the art of Russian nonconformists in the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg. Personal exhibition retrospective the Russia Pavillonat the Russian Chamber of Commerce Seville Expo '92. 1994 Personal exhibition retrospective at the Russian Chamber of Commerce, Moscow. From 1990 to 1993, he worked with a UNESCO scholarship in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Exhibitions "Artistes Russes". 1996 Personal exhibition at the Moscow City Council. Exhibition at the "Russian House" and Francisco Infante-Arana, Eduard Gorokhovsky, Budapescht
1997 Personal exhibition presented by Art Collection Otto, Streletzki, Berlin, catalogue issued. 2002 exhibition Igor Novikov and Alexey Novikov, Valeri Zelinski, Le Manoir de la Ville de Martigny, supported by the Russian Embassy in Switzerland, Switzerland . 2003 Personal exhibition at Design Center, Langenthal, Switzerland, with support of the Russian Embassy in Switzerland. 2005 Personal exhibition at Altstadhalle, Zug, Switzerland.
2008 Exhibition at Chelsea Art Museum, New York, Kolodzei Art Foundation of Russian and Eastern European Art, Kolodzei Art Foundation USA, with catalogue. "Igor Novikov: Goodbye Russia" catalogue for the Solo Exhibition retrospective at Koller Auctions, Zürich. Kunstberatung Zürich AG, 2009.
Exhibitions retrospective "Igor Novikov: Impression 100/50" catalogue for the Solo Exhibition at Nadja Brykina Gallery AG, Zürich, and Russian Contemporary Arts Foundation, supported by the Russian Embassy in Switzerland Zürich 2010. More work stays in Western countries followed, e.g. in Klagenfurt, Austria, and in Berlin, Germany.
Since 1979, Igor Novikov has participated in over a hundred group exhibitions in museums and galleries around the world, including the first show of nonconformist art. Works by Novikov can be found in the collections of major museums: the State Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow), the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, the Ludwig Museum major public collections in Russia, Europe, and the United States
Since 1990 he lives and works in Bern, Zurich Switzerland.
Works
Igor Novikov blends in his paintings diverse techniques, styles and time levels. As background he often applies classical paintings from the world heritage of fine arts, in particular master pieces of Russian painters of the 19th century. He replicates these works while alienating them superficially with graphical figures or pictograms. This gives to the paintings surprising and often ironic relationships to real life and current situations. Thus his works become testimonies of the transition of the Soviet Union to modern Russia, but also of Swiss or European issues. This contradiction of well-known classics and modern alienation results in strong messages and effects.
Exhibitions 2025 Igor Novikov at a personal exhibition "Utopias"Artefact Gallery Center Prechistenka Moscow 2024 Igor Novikov "Ierotopia" at a personal exhibition . Museum of Nonconformism Nadja Brykina Nadja Brykina Gallery Moscow 2023 Igor Novikov at a personal exhibition "Nashi" Museum of Modern Art "Erarta" St. Petersburg "Novikov&Malevich" at a personal exhibition the Museum of the Avant-Garde in Moscow Igor Novikov at a personal exhibition "Levitation". The State Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve Vladimir Igor and Alexey Novikov "PARADIS" State Rybinsk Museum-Reserve presents a joint exhibition project 2022 Igor and Alexey Novikov "Diolegia" Ryazan State Regional Art Museum named after I.P. Pozhalostin «EMANATION»at a personal exhibition Kostroma Museum State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve Kostroma «Inspiration» Igor and Alexey Novikov in the Romanov Museum State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve Kostroma Igor Novikov at the Personal exhibition The Kostroma State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve Igor Novikov Russian Swings personal exhibition gallery of contemporary art "Di Di", St. Petersburg catalogue 2021 Igor Novikov at the Personal exhibition The Yaroslavl Art Museum Novikov & Новиков at the Personal exhibition The Plyos state historical and Art Museum reserve Igor Novikov personal exhibition Imperial Tver Travel Palace Tver Regional Art Gallery 2020 Igor Novikov “EXIT”at the Personal exhibition The Moscow Museum of Modern Art presents its 20th anniversary catalogue "A man of bones, flesh and blood," the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Ivan Tsvetaev Educational Art Museum State University for the Humanities (RSUH) Moscow catalogue 6 Interregional Academic Research Project "Red Gate", "Against the Current" of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation catalogue 2019 Igor Novikov, Tatiana Nzarenko “Metamorphosen” Gallery Moenius Muri Bern catalogue Igor Novikov at the Personal exhibition The Tula Museum of Fine Arts Igor Novikov, Tatiana Nzarenko, Alexey Novikov Exhibition exhibition at the Museum of St. Petersburg Art (20th–21st centuries) catalogue Exhibition “Grotesque” exhibition at the Museum of St. Petersburg Art (20th–21st centuries) Igor Novikov Anniversary exhibition for the 25th anniversary of the gallery. From 15.01 to 28.02.2019 in the Gallery of Nadja Brykina in Moscow Hermitage Fine Art ( with T. Nazarenko, A. Novikov) Monaco France catalogue 2018 Personal exhibition at the Personal exhibition, Hermitage Fine Art, Monaco, France catalogue Personal exhibition at the Tatiana Nazarenko “Time Space “ State Budgetary Institution of Culture of the Voronezh Region “Voronezh Regional Art Museum. I. Kramskoy “Russia Exhibition “Marx forever” the State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg catalogue 2017 Personal exhibition at the Shchukin Gallery 4, avenue Matignon 75008 Paris, France with catalogue Personal exhibition at the Jedlitschka Gallery, Zürich, Switzerland catalogue 2016 Personal exhibition in Plyos State Museum of Landscape of history, architecture and art Russia 2015 Personal exhibition Museum and Exhibition Center Association Moscow 2014 Personal exhibition at the Du Château Gallery, Môtiers, Switzerland 2013 Personal exhibition at gallery im Schloss Hünigen, Switzerland 2012 Personal retrospective exhibition at the Russian Contemporary Arts Foundation, Zürich 2011 Exhibition and Alexey Novikov gallery Klosbach 45, Zürich 2010 Personal retrospective exhibition at the Nadya Brykina Gallery, Zurich, with catalogue, supported by the Russian Embassy in Switzerland Personal exhibition and Alexey Novikov gallery Kunstberatug, Zürich 2009 Personal exhibition retrospective at the Koller Auction, Zurich, with catalogue 2008 Personal exhibition at Chelsea Art Museum, New York, with catalogue
2007 Personal exhibition gallery Spillgerte, Enetchirel, Switzerland Exhibition at Europ'Art Art Fair, Geneva, Switzerland, with catalogue
2006 Personal exhibition Gartenflugel Gallery, Ziegelbrucke, Switzerland Exhibition at Europ'ART Art Fair, Geneva, Switzerland, with catalogue Personal exhibition at Adler Gallery, Geneva, Gstaad, Switzerland and London, UK
2005 Personal exhibition at Altstadhalle, Zug, Switzerland Personal exhibition at The Centre Dürrenmatt, designed by Mario Botta, Neuchatel Switzerland
2004 Personal exhibition at "O" Gallery, Schaffhausen, Switzerland Personal exhibition at Franziskanergasse Gallery, Salzburg, Austria
2003 Personal exhibition at the Gallery in Schloss Hünigen, Switzerland Personal exhibition at Arte Fiz Art Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland Personal exhibition at Design Center, Langenthal, Switzerland, with support of the Russian Embassy in Switzerland
2002 Personal exhibition at the Du Château Gallery, Môtiers, Switzerland, with support of the Russian Embassy in Switzerland Personal exhibition at Au Paon Gallery, Avenches, Switzerland Personal exhibition at the Russian Chamber of Commerce, Moscow, supported by the Russian Embassy in Switzerland and Swiss Embassy in Moscow and the Moscow City Hall "Artistes russes" exhibition at the City Museum "Le Manoir de la Ville de Martigny" supported by the Russian Embassy in Switzerland, Switzerland, with catalogue
2001 Exhibition at the Gallery of Christine Brügger, Bern, Switzerland Personal exhibition "Im Höchhus" Gallery, Küsnacht, Switzerland
2000 Personal exhibition at "Im Hof" Gallery, Zug, Switzerland Exhibition at "O" Gallery, Schaffhausen, Switzerland
1999 Personal exhibition at the Russian Chamber of Commerce, Moscow Personal exhibition at the Callet Molin gallery, Vevey, Switzerland
1998 Personal exhibition at the "Franziskanergasse Gallery", Salzburg, Austria
1997 Personal exhibition presented by Art Collection Otto, Streletzki, Berlin, catalogue issued
1996 Personal exhibition at the Moscow City Council Exhibition at the "Russian House" and Francisco Infante-Arana, Eduard Gorokhovsky, Budapescht
1995