Mikhail Koulakov, born in Moscow in 1933, is a representative of the Soviet avant-garde of the 1960s, and one of the founders of the Second Abstraction in Russia.
In 1962 he graduated in set design under Nikolai Akimov, artist and director, at Leningrad's Institute for Theatrical Arts, and started his career in Moscow, Leningrad and other towns of the USSR where his works were displayed in alternative spaces to Socialist Realism.
He also worked as a graphic designer and illustrated the works of some friends who were poets and writers. Koulakov worked for theatres in Volchov, Leningrad and Moscow. In 1967 he designed the stage set for Majakovsky's Bath at the Moscow Theatre of Satire.
At Koulakov's wedding in 1975 to an Italian citizen, the witnesses included Lila Brik, Majakovsy's muse, and the Nobel prize winner Piotr Kapitza, who were both enthusiastic collectors of his works.
In 1976 he came to live in Italy, and in 1977 he took part in the famous Biennale of Art Dissent in Venice.
Mikhail Koulakov has had numerous anthological and one-man shows at museums and private galleries in many countries, including the USSR after the Perestroika, and he has taken part in important collective exhibitions.
As an expert and enthusiastic follower of martial arts and ancient Chinese philosophy, in 1978 he started to teach T'ai chi chuan in Perugia.
He was elected senior academician of Perugia's Fine Arts Academy "Pietro Vannucci" in 1993.
In 1997 he was invited by the Italian painter Piero Dorazio to take part in the project METRO ARTE ROMA and his mosaic panel can be seen at the Anagnina subway station.
In 1962 he graduated in set design under Nikolai Akimov, artist and director, at Leningrad's Institute for Theatrical Arts, and started his career in Moscow, Leningrad and other towns of the USSR where his works were displayed in alternative spaces to Socialist Realism.
He also worked as a graphic designer and illustrated the works of some friends who were poets and writers. Koulakov worked for theatres in Volchov, Leningrad and Moscow. In 1967 he designed the stage set for Majakovsky's Bath at the Moscow Theatre of Satire.
At Koulakov's wedding in 1975 to an Italian citizen, the witnesses included Lila Brik, Majakovsy's muse, and the Nobel prize winner Piotr Kapitza, who were both enthusiastic collectors of his works.
In 1976 he came to live in Italy, and in 1977 he took part in the famous Biennale of Art Dissent in Venice.
Mikhail Koulakov has had numerous anthological and one-man shows at museums and private galleries in many countries, including the USSR after the Perestroika, and he has taken part in important collective exhibitions.
As an expert and enthusiastic follower of martial arts and ancient Chinese philosophy, in 1978 he started to teach T'ai chi chuan in Perugia.
He was elected senior academician of Perugia's Fine Arts Academy "Pietro Vannucci" in 1993.
In 1997 he was invited by the Italian painter Piero Dorazio to take part in the project METRO ARTE ROMA and his mosaic panel can be seen at the Anagnina subway station.
He lived and worked at his studio in Umbria till 15 February 2015 when he died in Terni, Umbria, Italy.
Since 1993, he has been an Academician of Merit at the Pietro Vannucci Academy of Fine Arts in Perugia.
Works in permanent collections
Russian Museum, St. Petersburg; A.S. Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow; State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow; State Centre for Contemporary Art, Moscow; Art Museum, Taganrog; Moscow Museum of Modern Art; Musée d'Art Contemporain de Montréal, Canada; Jane Vorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, New Jersey, USA; Municipal Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rome; Stauros Museum of Contemporary Sacred Art, S.Gabriele, TE; G. Bargellini Museum of Art of the Italian Generations of the Twentieth Century, Pieve di Cento BO; Rome Metro, Anagnina Station.
Metro Station Anagnina in Rome
Works in public collections
Banca d’Italia, Rome; Russian Cultural Foundation, Moscow; Kolodzei Art Foundation Moscow/USA; Cartiere Miliani, Fabriano; Pietro Vannucci Academy of Fine Arts, Perugia; Province of L’Aquila; Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Rome; Macro MIP Rome.
His works are present in numerous private collections in Russia, Italy, Europe, and overseas.
Writers who have covered his work (among others)
M. Apa, V. Apuleo, A. Bagnato, L. Bartolon, L. Bazanov, L. Beatrice, M. Bessonova, E. Bilardello, A. Borovsky, J.E. Bowlt, M. Branzis, M. Chiesa, D. Konecny, K. Bushkin, F. Calzavacca, C. Costantini, J. Crawford, E. Crispolti, F. D'Amico, U. degli Innocenti, M. di Candia, G. Di Genova, P. Dorazio, M. Doria de Zulian , M. Duranti, N. Fallaci, V. Goriainov, D. Likhaciov, P. Matiuhin, M. Meilakh, D. Micacchi, N. Misler; F. Miele, G. Di Milia , F.R. Morelli, N. Musyankova, L. Nekrasova, A. Nizamudtinova, T. Panchina, S. Popov, L. Pratesi, E. Preuss, F. Pullia, J. Recupero, B. Schisa ,V. Sergheiv, C. Strinati, L. Strozzieri ,M. Valsecchi, E. Torelli Landini, A. Vattese, C. Zavattini.