Vasily
Yakovlevich Sitnikov

Born in the village of Novo-Rakitino (Lebedyanskiy County Tambov province) in a peasant family. In 1921, together with his family moved to Moscow.

In 1933 he studied at the Moscow engineering College, addicted to making models of sailing ships. Attempt to do in VHUTEMAS in 1935 was not successful. Worked on the construction of underground, artist-animator and Modeler in Director A. L. Ptushko, showed slides of the lectures of the professors of the Art Institute named after V. I. Surikov (hence the nickname "Bob-the lamplighter").

In 1941, working in the trenches and defensive works were collected leaflets scattered Nazi pilots, and found weapons. All of this he was later found at home and arrested him. He was found insane and sent for compulsory treatment in Kazan. In 1944, he returned to the capital, was interrupted by casual earnings. During the "thaw" joined the "unofficial" art.

Since 1951, the artist is actively taught by their dream of "home Academy". With "school Sitnikov" was linked – as a direct apprenticeship, and creative contacts – a number of prominent artists (V. G. Veisberg, Y. A. Vedernikov, M. D. Sterligova, A. V. Kharitonov, etc.).

In 1975, the master emigrated to Austria in 1980 in the United States. The most valuable part of his collection of icons given to the Museum of old Russian art Andrei Rublev. Own his stuff "lifted" almost without a trace – not counting reproductions and separate works in museums (in new York's Museum of modern art, the Museum of Zimmerly Reuterscom at the state University of new Jersey, etc.).

Died Vasily Sitnikov in new York. The urn with his ashes moved the family to Moscow and buried at the cemetery Vagankovsky.

May 24, 2009 in the gallery "Our Artists"in Moscow opened the first personal exhibition of works by Vasily Sitnikov.

Literature:

Sparrows, Valentine. Enemy of the people. Memories of the artist. - M.: New literary review, 2005