Solomon
Davidovich Levin

Born in St. Petersburg into the family of a watchmaker. Drawing started at school. Not only he loved to draw, but have attracted other guys organized a school art class. Engaged in decorative design of school parties. Later painted in a group of students theatre artist.

In 1928 he graduated from the 2 courses of the Leningrad state art and industrial College. He worked as head of the Tech part of theater "pioneer" of provincial Committee of Komsomol (had to be an artist and a Director, and costumer).

In 1930 he led a circle drawing in the city House of children's culture Cuida (Commission to improve the lives of children), was Deputy chief of staff at the Regional Committee of the Komsomol "to combat breakouts of financial plan all kinds of arts".

1931 – 1933 – instructor FROM the Institute of rehabilitation of physically handicapped children named after Professor G. Turner. Released a sort of "Window Growth" to political topics, international and peeped in his life. Drawing collectively on large sheets of songs about revolution, combine in a picture different episodes: rally flying through the air leaflets, the sale of the Bolshevik Newspapers, the arrival of Lenin in Petrograd, the distribution of weapons to the red guards storming the Winter, the proclamation of the Soviets. Did murals in the whole of the end wall of the hall.

From 1932 he worked in the Methodical study of the fine arts of the Leningrad House of artistic education of children. Participated in the work of the Central house of artistic education of children. Bubnova (Moscow), and then the work of the Institute of artistic education of the RSFSR. He was a member of methodological Council. During all the years he was an active participant of all-Russian methodological conference of artists-teachers and scientific sessions, organized by the MUSEUM and then by the Institute. Participated in the organization of national exhibitions of children's drawings, where the work of his pupils was repeatedly awarded diplomas and prizes.

In 1936 the Leningrad House of artistic education of children was transformed into a Palace of pioneers. S. D. Levin worked in different years as a practitioner, head and senior teacher from EVERY Department. In 1934 – 1937 he worked as a drawing teacher at 1st experimental school of the Petrograd district. In 1936 – 1937 he worked in the evening teachers College for pre-school and school offices.

S. D. Levin is a member of the Finnish war and the great Patriotic war. Was demobilized in 1946.. But with the permission of the command to teach in the Palace of Pioneers became in 1944..

In 1949, he graduated from the Academy of fine Arts, art faculty (thesis: "Art education in school").

In 1951 until 1953, he taught drawing at 207 high school in Leningrad. He taught at the Moscow House of pioneers of the district.

For nearly 25 years, S. D. Levin led the asset of kindergarten teachers. For many years led the Association of teachers of circles drawing in Houses and the Palace of pioneers.

In 1969 the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR S. D. Levin awarded the honorary title of Honored teacher of the school.

S. D. Levin gave a great importance to the organization of exhibitions of children's creativity. The exhibition of children's art were organized in the Palace of pioneers, the Losh, the Hermitage, the Academy of fine arts, the Ethnographic Museum, the Russian Museum.

S. D. Levin almost every summer he traveled with his pupils on sketching trips to different parts of the country – more than 20 years. Students ' work was exhibited at the Levin, all-Russian, all-Union, international exhibitions in Moscow, India, Germany, Romania, Canada, USA, Finland, Poland, Czechoslovakia.

Published several dozen articles in art journals, a number of pamphlets and books on issues of art education, they read a lot of reports at the all-Union conference of teachers. Participated in several pedagogical readings of the Institute of artistic education at the Academy of pedagogical Sciences in Moscow. S. D. Levin is the originator of the collection "Young artist" in 1961 and the author of more than half of all papers, participated in the collection "Young artist" in 1964, wrote articles for magazines.

In the Palace of Pioneers S. D. Levin worked until 1970. was Forced to leave due to illness. However, participated in the seminar of the assets of the kindergarten teachers, gave advice to his former students. Studied painting, wrote books. In 1979 the publishing house "Soviet artist", the book "Your child is drawing," 1988 – "Conversation with a young artist."

All students in S. D. Levin was about two thousand. Professional artists, architects, teachers were a few hundred people. Many gifted children have chosen other professions, but remained creative.

S. D. Levine (1907 – 1990) – art historian by education, a pedagogue by vocation, an artist by soul. Three ideal had served as a measure of the value of all that is happening in my life: children, beauty, creativity. He always shared with others the delight in the beauty of nature, admiration of art, joy, creativity, wisdom, life experience.

Starting to draw at school, he was fascinated by these guys and others and organized their first art class. Then he worked in the theater "pioneer" in the provincial Committee of Komsomol, where he was an artist and a Director, and costume designer. Then he began to study drawing with children in the City House of Children's Culture Cuida (Commission improve the lives of children) (1927).

He wanted all children, especially the disadvantaged, to give creative happiness is to open yourself to the opportunity to see and to Express in figures the beautiful, the living, the eternal. And he came in 1931 to Professor G. I. Turner Institute rehabilitation of children affected by trauma, and began to work there as an instructor in drawing. Then S. D. Levin drew with children established in Leningrad in 1932, the House of artistic education of children (LDHD). When LDHD worked as faculty of the Institute of advanced training of workers of arts (LIPKA), where S. D. Levin conducted workshops and lectures for school teachers. In the autumn of 1934, S. D. Levin began to teach in the first experimental school of the Leningrad city Department of education (education Department), where he developed a program on drawing for secondary schools. LDHD was subsequently reorganized into the Leningrad Palace of pioneers, where S. D. Levin directed drawing circles with the founding of the Palace (1937) for almost 30 years.

He was always the defender of creative human rights of children and advocate of children's creativity. He was the initiator and an active Creator of citywide exhibitions in Leningrad. The first took place in 1934, and may 1, 1936 children's drawings were exhibited in the Windows of shops on the Nevsky prospect. So festive, the city became a huge exhibition hall, and the audience was all citizens and guests of Leningrad.

In 1937, in the Museum of children's art of the Leningrad Palace of pioneers, held the first exhibition of works by young artists dedicated to the life and work of Alexander Pushkin.

In the 50s – 70s years of citywide exhibitions of children's art were organized almost every year in the halls of the Academy of arts, Union of artists, State Hermitage Museum, Russian Museum, Central exhibition hall "Manege". He also pursued the participation of children's drawings in the all-Union and international exhibitions, where the work of his pupils were awarded with medals, awards, diplomas.

Just for pedagogical activity of S. D. Levin was about 2 thousand students, many have become professional artists, teachers, and with gratitude remember his Teacher.

In 1969, S. D. Levin rightly been awarded the title of Honored teacher.

Enthusiasm for the pedagogy of art, the logic of teaching activities led him to need to be a teacher of teachers. For nearly 25 years he led asset kindergarten in Leningrad in urban Methodical study of pre-school education; he organized and for many years led the methodical Association of teachers of circles drawing in Houses and the Palace of Pioneers them. A. A. Zhdanov.

All his teaching experience S. D. Levin summarized in the fundamental work "Your child draws" (1979). This book is written for parents, caregivers, teachers – all those who love children, seeks to understand the complex and delicate world of childhood, to help children interested to live and work. Children, he dedicated his second book "Conversation with a young artist" (1989), where adolescents seriously and clearly discussed complex problems of art.

The children loved and respected their Teacher, but did not know that with as busy as he was and tireless care the young artists he himself constantly engaged in the work. He showed his drawings and paintings of children, fearing the impact on them as an example of his method and cause the imitation to the detriment of their individual preferences in art. Solomon Davidovich for the first time agreed to a solo exhibition when, due to illness was forced to finish teaching, but his disciples are now adults and independent artists. The first personal exhibition "Painting S. D. Levin" was held in January 1987 in the exhibition hall Coffee house of the Summer garden. It was the unexpected discovery of the artist for all his previously knew and loved and for total strangers.

Enchanted the artist found the amazing beauty of nature. The wizard seemed to dissolve in them. His landscapes are filled with the physical feeling the natural atmosphere, delicate and lively colors, flickering light. Small-size graphic and pictorial works are sophisticated compositions in which there is action and intrigue, and is the contemplation of natural conditions. The poetics of his painting and the emotional dynamism of the drawings capture the viewers are forced to empathize with the author and worry of touching the real art.

This exhibition of works by S. D. Levin is a double anniversary: first, it is dedicated to the centenary of the birth, and secondly, is the fifth solo exhibition of the artist's works.

Students, friends and relatives of S. D. Levin Express my heartfelt gratitude to the organizers and personally to the Director of the Museum of nonconformist art Evgeniy Mikhailovich Orlov.

(author: O. L. Nekrasova-Karateeva)