Chaikov Joseph Moiseevich

Joseph Chaikov was born in Kiev in family of a scriber of Jewish religious texts. He started in Kiev as a pupil and then as an assistant of engraver.

In 1910-1913, he studied sculpture in Paris with Aronson and in the Higher School of Decorative Arts, then at the Higher School of Fine Arts.

In 1912, Chaikov together with a group of young artists founded a group of Jewish artists "Mahmadim"; the group published a magazine in Hebrew under the same name.

In 1913, he participated in the Autumn Art Salon in Paris.

In 1914, Chaikov returned to Russia. He actively participated in activities of the Culture League in Kiev, illustrated books in Yiddish, taught sculpture at the studio of the Culture League, in 1918-1919 he directed the children's art studio.

In the revolutionary years, in Kiev he was engaged in the creation of visual agitation.

In 1920, Chaikov was among the organizers of the First Jewish Art Exhibition organized by the Culture League in Kiev.

Chaikov became the ideologist of the new Jewish art on the basis of plastic models of the Ancient East.

In 1920, he moved to Moscow. He created mobile sculptures and combinations "The Bridge Builder" (1921), "The Electrificator" (1925), "The Blacksmith" (1927), distinguished by an unusual planning of the center of gravity.

He taught sculpture at the Higher Artistic and Technical Workshops.

1922-1923 - Chaikov worked in Berlin. He took part in exhibitions of Soviet art and the group "November". In 1923, Chaikov participated in the Berlin International Exhibition.

In 1925, he became a member of the Society of Russian Sculptors (the SRS) in Moscow; in 1929, he headed it. In 1926, he also joined the group "Four Arts".

In 1931, Chaikov participated in the creation of the drummers' alley in the Gorky Central Park of Culture and Rest in Moscow.

In 1937, he took part in the design of the Soviet pavilion at the International Exhibition in Paris (11 bas-reliefs "Peoples of the USSR").

In 1939, he took part in the design of the Soviet pavilion at the International Exhibition in New York (the USSR coat of arms for the Soviet pavilion and high relief on the facade of the pavilion of the Kazakh SSR).

Chaikov's works were exhibited at international exhibitions.

He became a recognized Soviet sculptor, worked in all genres and techniques of sculpture.