His first teacher was a pupil of Repin, Mikhail Mikhailovich Yarovoy, Bongart retained for life bright and grateful memory. The war prevented him to finish the Kiev art Institute. In 1943, he left his hometown...
After the war, survived in Germany, the forced repatriation, in December 1948 Sergei Bongart emigrated to America. In a relatively short period of time he earned himself the name of an outstanding teacher of painting. In California, in Santa Monica, Bongard purchased the house and Studio of the famous artist Nikolay Feshin and there opened his own school of painting. Due to not only the talent but also the personal charm, some kind of irresistible magnetism, he attracted to his school a lot of celebrities who paid generously for the “creative sessions”. For many years he studied and was friends with the master of the famous Hollywood actor James Cagney (James Cagny). Visited his Studio and another famous actor Jack lemon, learned from him the prima Donna of the Metropolitan Opera, Dorothy Kirsten and other celebrities.
As Bongard came across a strange area in Idaho, something reminded him of Kyiv. There he opened a branch of his school, naming the new acquisition “Kyiv”. These are far from all the civilized centers of the region gathered art lovers, an introduction to the art that inspired and enthusiastically giving them emotional Russian artist, not ustavshiy to insist: “Write.” Exhibition of Sergei Bongart was successful, he was awarded with medals and paintings were bought for large sums of money.
(From the article Vladimir Sinkevich "Sergei Bongart and his poetry", "Coffee room")
