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Unovis [Rus. Utverditeli Novogo Iskusstva: ‘Affirmers of new art’].
Russian group of artists and designers gathered around KAZIMIR MALEVICH at Vitebsk (Viciebsk), Belarus’, from 1919–20. Vera Yermolayeva (1893–1938), who became director of the Art Institute in Vitebsk in 1919, appointed Malevich (who had been invited by Marc Chagall) to head a teaching studio. The group, known as Posnovis (Posledovateli Novogo Iskusstva: ‘Followers of new art’) in January 1920, was soon renamed Unovis and was formed to explore Malevich’s concept of SUPREMATISM. Their work reflected Constructivist techniques and was characterized by mathematical forms, such as the parabola, and by suggestions of construction. This is seen in the work of EL LISSITZKY, who had studied under Yermolayeva’s predecessor, Marc Chagall, before becoming a convert to Suprematism. Lissitzky gave to his paintings and prints the name Proun (‘Affirmation of the new’). He printed 1000 copies of Malevich’s book O novykh sistemakh v iskusstve (‘On new systems in art’) at Vitebsk in December 1919, and this was followed in 1920 by Malevich’s Suprematizm: 34 risunkov (‘Suprematism: 34 drawings’). Theatrical productions played an important role in Unovis, and both Vladimir Mayakovsky’s Misteriya-Buff and Aleksey Kruchonykh’s opera Pobeda nad solntsem (‘Victory over the sun’; February 1920) were produced there. The work of Unovis also extended to utilitarian designs and could incorporate explicit political commitment. The Unovis design for a Lenin tribune (1920; see Kueppers-Lissitzky, pl. 129) and Lissitzky’s civil war poster Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge (1919; repr. 1960; Eindhoven, Stedel. Van Abbemus., see Kueppers-Lissitzky, pl. 40) are examples of this. Other members of the group included Yermolayeva, Il’ya Chashnik (1909–29), Nikolay Suetin (1897–1954) and Lev Yudin (1903–41). Lazar’ Khidekel (1904–86) was also associated with the group. Unovis published two journals, Aero (1920) and Unovis (1920–21), and organized numerous exhibitions. Branches were organized in Moscow, Petrograd, Smolensk, Orenburg, Saratov, Samara, Perm and Odessa.
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