Russian artist Ilya Kabakov, who always criticized the Soviet way of thinking through his raw and creative installations, died at the age of 89 on Saturday. His family confirmed his death on social media the same day.
Ilya Kabakov made a name for himself by creating artworks that exposed his home country’s sad, despairing state of affairs. His works were in stark contrast to the official government position, which always promoted Soviet excellence and hid away any shortcomings. Naturally, his criticism of the government brought a target on his back. However, his art found a spot in the underground art scene of Russia. While Kabakov had to flee USSR in 1987, his works served as inspiration for generations of upcoming, anti-establishment Russian artists.
In 1988, Ilya Kabakov found international fame after a successful solo exhibition at Ronald Feldman Fine Arts in New York. Titled “Ten Characters”, the installations there were all based on the 10-room communal apartment in Russia where his family used to live. One of them, The Man Who Flew into Space from His Apartment (1985), emerged as the highlight of the show. The installation showed a kid who seemed to catapult himself out into space from his room; it was a criticism of the Soviet space program that consumed billions while average Russian citizens starved.
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With more success, Ilya Kabakov focused on making larger installations. Labyrinth (My Mother’s Album) (1990) is a huge maze that guides the audience through the artist’s life experiences. After the fall of the USSR, Kabakov shifted tones – instead of talking about a depressing world, he now talked about a utopian world that could have been. In later years, his works started getting exhibited in Russia. However, he remained a staunch critic of the government until the end.
