Nisson
Abramovich Shifrin

[16(28).6.1892, Kiev — 3.4.1961, Moscow], people's artist of the RSFSR (1958). Member of the CPSU since 1942. He studied at the school of drawing and painting A. A. Murashko (1912-15), the Studio A. Exter (1918-19), Ukrainian AX (1920-21) — in Kiev. Taught in Vhuteine (1929-30), the Polygraphic Institute (1931-32), the Institute of theatrical arts. A. V. Lunacharsky (1934-36) in Moscow. A member of OST (1925). The main artist of the Central theatre of the Soviet Army (1935-61). Major theatrical works sh ["Fault" of art (1950), "the Seagull" by Chekhov (1960) — both the Moscow art theatre, "Moscow nature" Sofronova (little theatre, 1948), "the Death squadron" Korneichuk (1934), "the taming of the shrew" by Shakespeare (1937), "virgin soil upturned" by Sholokhov (1957), "Drummer" Salynsky (1958), all in the Central theater of the Soviet Army] differ the close connections of the visual approach of the show is the Director's intent, simply sophisticated spaces. solutions, organic inclusion of painting (panels, portal frame) in the action stage. Acted also as a painter and the author of the illustrations ["Whom to be?" Vladimir Mayakovsky (ed. in 1929) and others]. USSR state prize (1949, 1951).

Vol.: The artist in the theater, L., 1964; My work in the theatre [Moscow, 1966].

Lit.: Exhibition of works by people's artist of RSFSR, laureate of State prizes of Nisson Abramovich Shifrin. 1892-1961. [Catalog]. Introd. art. M. N. Pojarskii, M., 1962.

Born in the family of a poor merchant. In childhood he received a traditional Jewish education, then studied at the gymnasium. In 1911, at the insistence of parents, he entered the Kiev commercial Institute, from which he graduated in 1916, without interrupting his studies at the Institute, 1912 attended classes at the art school A. Murashko, and during 1917-18 he studied in the Studio of one of the leaders of the Russian artistic avant-garde artist Alexandra Exter. Shifrin contacts with radical intellectuals began early in January 1914, he, along with I. Rabinovich designed the performances of the futurists — D. Burliuk, V. Mayakovsky and V. Kamensky — in Kiev, a month later, Shifrin participated in the exhibition "Ring", organized by A. Exter and A. Bogomazov.

Fascination with the ideas of the "left" art was combined in that period, the Shifrin with the search for a "national" Jewish art form. Together with like-minded, young Kiev artists-Jews, among whom was I. Rabinovich, B. I., Rybak, A. Tyshler and I. Rabichev (1894-1957), Shifrin summer of 1918 he participated in organizing the Art section of the Kultur-Liga, proclaimed as one of its goals the creation of "modern Jewish art". Schifrin's works were exhibited at two exhibitions of the Art section, held in Kiev (February–March, 1920 and March–April 1922); he taught at the recently-established Studio art, actively collaborated with the Jewish publishing during the years 1922-24 in Kiev has published several books in Yiddish with his illustrations ("DOS Pantofole" — "Slipper", Kiev, 1923; "DOS zigeuner" — "Gypsy", Kiev, 1924; both I. Kipnis). In 1919, Shifrin made his debut as a theater artist in the Kiev Marjanova K. productions (sh operetta by Lecocq "Green island" in the Theater of musical Comedy and "Shirt Blanche" on the play by I. Ehrenburg in the Solovtsov Theatre). In 1920 Shifrin performed sketches of scenery and costumes for performances of the Kiev Jewish theater "of Onjob" (Director S. Semcor) and Theatre Studio Artistic League (directed by E. Lauter). In 1923 he moved to Moscow, but not interrupted while ties with the Artistic section of the Kultur League, retaining membership in its Moscow office until the liquidation of the section (end of 1924). For paintings and drawings Shifrin this period is characterized by the use of an open color, the techniques of cubism when images of objects, the pursuit of expressive decoration. In his theatrical works of the time * developed the principles cubofuturists of scenography, using a volumetric combination of the pictorial planes to create the stage space.

In 1925 Shifrin joined the OST (Society of easel painters) whose members were some of the artists-Jews, which were before in the Art section of the Kultur-Liga, A. Tyshler, I. Rabichev, D. Shterenberg (Chairman of Companies) and A. Labas (1900-83). The society lasted until 1932, when it, like all other art groups and associations of the USSR, was dissolved after the decision of the Central Committee of the CPSU(b) "On restructuring literary-artistic organizations".

In the 1920s – early 1930s, the scenes he painted, worked in easel and book graphics of Russian publishing houses in the Jewish periodicals (e.g., "Yungvald"). However, it is the scenography has become a major activity, Shifrin, and he acted mostly as a theater artist in Russian and Ukrainian theaters of Moscow and Kharkov (Studio Vakhtangov theatre, Moscow; the Theater MGSPS theatre "Berezil", Kharkiv, and others) and the Jewish theater (the play "Business man" on the play by V. Hasenclever in Allocate, 1928, Kharkov, Director S. Margolin; "Volpone" on the play by Ben Johnson in Belgazeta, 1933, Minsk, directed by V. Golovchiner; sketches of scenery and costumes for this performance, Shifrin has performed with his artist — wife M. Gena /1889-1954, of the Swedish noble family, converted to Judaism; she made a play "we are young" on the play by Vladimir Kean Belgazeta, 1935, directed by K. Rutstein/). In his theatrical works of the mid 1920s – early 1930s Shifrin has introduced elements of constructivism, revealing the stage design and emphasizing the conventionality of decorative techniques. He ingeniously used the various types of the composition of the stage space, change of fragments of design, rotation, scene, combination of different textures of materials, etc.

From 1935 to the end of life Shifrin was the chief artist of the Central theatre of the Soviet army (TSTSA) in Moscow. He was constantly invited to design productions in other Russian theatres of Moscow and Leningrad (see Saint Petersburg); during the 1930s and 40s. not interrupted its cooperation with the Jewish theatres. In the design Shifrin was put in performances of Birobidzhan GOSET ("Uriel Acosta" on the play by K. Guskova, 1938, directed by M. Goldblatt), in the Moscow GOSET ("Tsvey Manilamen" — "Two simpletons" — by A. goldfaden, 1940, directed by I. Kroll, sets and costumes together with M. Gena; "Eve" on the play by M. broderzon, 1947, directed by B. Zuskin).

In the best theatrical works of the late 1930-50-ies (e.g., the taming of the shrew the play by William Shakespeare, 1937; "Marriage" on the play by N. Gogol, 1959; both performances in TSTSA, directed by A. Popov) Shifrin was able to overcome everyday descriptiveness and pomposity, then established in the Soviet theatre design, and save your own original style.

(SJE, volume 10. 219-221)