Overview
- Russian Academy of Arts reported Pavel Nikonov’s death on November 8 at age 96 and said memorial details will follow.
- Erik Bulatov’s death on November 9 at age 92 was confirmed by the Academy and by his spouse, with no cause disclosed.
- The Tretyakov Gallery and art leaders, including the head of the Union of Artists, issued condolences recognizing Bulatov’s pivotal role in late 20th‑century Russian art.
- Bulatov, a leading figure of Moscow conceptualism and soc‑art who later lived in New York and Paris, was known for works fusing propaganda text and imagery, including “Glory to the CPSU,” sold in 2008 for $2.1 million.
- Nikonov, a People’s Artist and Academy presidium member associated with the ‘severe style,’ taught at the Surikov Institute, and his works are held in major museums such as the Tretyakov Gallery and the Russian Museum.