MA-g
The Museum of Avant-garde

Lyubov Popova

Russia (1889—1924)
Born to an upper-class family in Russia, Popova had the opportunity to discover art and travel to Europe since early age. She studied in Paris and trained with Cubist painters Le Fauconnier and Metzinger. Back in Moscow, she was part of the Russian avant-garde and participated to collective exhibitions such as The Jack of Diamonds. In 1916 she joined the Suprematism group next to Maljevič and produced her six Painterly Architectonics. She joined the left-wing Federation of the Moscow’s artists Union and the Institute of Artistic Culture (Inkhuk) run by Kandinsky. At the onset of the Russian Revolution Popova changed her vision of art, moving towards Constructivism getting closer to Rodchenko, who defined her a true comrade. From 1918 she continued to turn her art at the service of politics and contributing to LEF journal. She also experimented on different media and expressions, including textile, theatre costume design and publications. She died at the age of 35 in 1924, few days after her son.