Born in Uman. He graduated from the Kiev art school, he continued his education in Moscow. In 1918-1919 he worked as a teacher of graphic art and sculpture in the Seminary city of Great Luke. Then the civil war, wounded, captured. In 1923-1930, he continued his pedagogical work in velikolukskiy schools. Familiarity with Filonov probably happened in 1928, when, according to the memoirs of E. A. Serebryakova, Gankevich met filanowski method and "was put "in the hole". It can be assumed that in the future he repeatedly used the tips Filonov, showing him their work and the work of students, as evidenced by the continuation of the same records Serebryakova: "P. N. was the master of the Great Bow. Brought back many specimens [of work] of his disciples, children aged 10 to 14 years. Some of the work I was struck by the expressiveness and sensitivity the teacher teaches filosofskomu method. He made on me the impression of a man who dare, resistant, with great temper, energetic and loves his job. The Great Luke think he is crazy and say that children draw inappropriate things. They paint a city, village, field, co-op, home environment, demonstrations, etc. the Crowd some of them out better than some of the artists paintings which are exhibited. He puts the clubs performances with a kind of scenery." In a team MAI Gankevich participated in the exhibition "Modern Leningrad artistic groups" and the First citywide exhibition of fine arts. During the split of the team was left with a minority group. From 1931 he lived in Leningrad.
