Maxim Kantor

Maxim Kantor was born in Moscow on 22 December 1957.

His father, Karl Kantor, who was born in Argentina, was a philosopher, an art historian, and a design theorist who founded the Moscow magazine “Decorative Arts”. His grandfather self-exiled to Argentina in 1909 and returned to Soviet Russia with his family in 1926. His mother Tatiana was a geneticist who created some hybrids that were internationally licensed.

In 1980 Maxim Kantor graduated from the Moscow State University of Printing Art. After 1982 he took part in unofficial exhibitions. In 1983 he founded in Moscow the underground art group “Krasnyj Dom” (Red House). In 1984 he was organizer and speaker of a renowned one-day show of the group in Moscow Institute of Philosophy.

In 2016 he became a German citizen.

Maxim Kantor lives and works on Ile de Ré (France), Berlin and Oxford.

Kantor is a member of the Russian Academy of Fine Arts.

As a painter Maxim Kantor "didn't want to study under anybody and his father (the philosopher Karl Kantor) was all he needed", but he was deeply influenced by Michelangelo, Mantegna, Goya, Breughel, Van Gogh, Grunewald and Petrov Vodkin. Maxim Kantor never joined any artistic group, but rather kept to his own independent message. His personal style was never influenced by fashions or current streams. In Soviet times he became a watchful observer of society and a sharp political critic. Kantor holds the same line up to now both in his country and in the West. For years, he has been developing the themes which moved him. Almost always those themes reflected socio-political situation in his Motherland or in the world. He created series of large paintings and graphic works which always dovetailed with his fiction works and public statements and essays.

In 1997 he represented the Russian Federation on 47 Biennale d’Arte di Venezia in the Russian pavilion with the personal Exhibition Criminal Chronicle.

He held exhibitions in many different countries and in a great number of important museums around the world, among which Moscow State Tretyakov Gallery, Saint-Petersburg State Russian Museum, Hannover Sprengel Museum, Frankfurt Staedel Museum, British Museum, Luxembourg National Museum. Some works by Kantor are in the Vatican Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Paris Saint Merry Church and the Brussels cathedral.

Maxim Kantor has created three more monumental portfolio of etchings and prints with the following titles Metropolis. Atlas (2000-2001), Metropolis. Atlas (2004) and Vulcanus. Atlas (2010).

Maxim Kantor produced "livres d'artiste": in 2013 Henrich von Kleist. Die "Hermannsschlaht" and in 2014 "The Ballades of Robin Hood", in 2018 "Faust" and "Hazard" with text and illustrations by Kantor himself.

Paintings and graphic works by Kantor are shown in his website www.maximkantor.com

In 1993 Maxim Kantor authored the book of tales Dom na pustyre (House in Wasteland) with his own illustrations. Novels

- 2006 the monumental novel Uchebnik risovania (Textbook of Drawing)

- 2013 Krasnyj svet (Red Light), which was in the short list of the Russian literary awards "National Bestseller" and "Big Book".[4] 7 January 2016 the French translation of Red Light was published by Louison Éditions with the title Feu Rouge prefaced by Éric Naulleau. 29 January 2018 the German translation of Red Light is published by Paul Zsolnay Verlag with the title Rotes Licht

- 2017 Azart (Hazard)

Political writings, essays, and works of history of art - 2008 Medlennye cheliusti democratij (Slow Jaws of Democracy)

- 2010 Odnogo dostatochno (One is Enough) Sovok i vennik (Dustpan and Broom)

- 2014 Стратегия левиафана (The Strategy of Leviathan)

- 2015 Imperia naiznanku (An Empire turned inside out)

- 2016 Chertopolokh – Philosophia jivopisj (The Thistle - Philosophy of painting)

- 2007 Kantor published the collection of plays Vecher s babuinom (An Evening with a Baboon), some of which have been staged in several theatres in Russia

- 2011 the play Medlennyj ogonj (Slow Fire") was published in an Internet site

- 2014 Kantor produced a puppet satire Robin Hood and Spiritual Buckles, which was staged in a private theater in Berlin. He was not only the author of the play, but also designed and built the puppets

He announced the founding of a permanent travelling puppet theatre

In 2013 Maxim Kantor was appointed Honorary Fellow of Pembroke College.

In 2015 he became a visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, United States.[1]

2012 "Vulcano: Art and Politics in the Period of Crisis of European Ideals", organized with the support of the Department of Politics and International Relations of the University of Oxford, took place in May 2012 dovetailing with Kantor's show in the Ashmolean Museum. Among other speakers Eric Hobsbawm, Marek Bartelik, Toni Negri, Vittorio Hosle, and Timothy Redcliff participated

2013: Palazzo Zenobio in the frame of the exhibition «Atlantis» "Atlantis and Utopia"

2014 in Geneva "The Rape of Europe”. Graduate Institute of International Relations

2016 "Democracy as a Challenge of Our Times” in European Solidarity Center in Gdansk, Poland

2018 (October 4) Interdisciplinary Symposium “Das Jüngste Gericht – Von Bosch bis Kantor”, Vienna Speakers: Eva Blimlinger, rector of the Academy of Fine Arts,Gabriele Geml,Professor of the Institute of Philosophy of Vienna University, Jos Koldeweij, Professor of ZAfrt History of the Middle Age of the University Nijmegen, Julia M. Nauhaus, Director of the Paining Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, David Priestland, Professor of Modern History in St. Edmund Hall, College/University of Oxford, Rev. Andrew Teal, Geistlicher,Teacher and Tutor, Institute of Theology and Philosophy, Pembroke College/University of Oxford Stephen Whitefield, Professor of Politics,Institute of Political Science and International Relations,Pembroke College/Universität Oxford

2018 (October 27) Interdisciplinary Symposium in Bamberg University University Otto-Friedrick during the exhibition "Das Garten des Wissens" “Beauty, Goodnees, Strength. The art of Maxim Kantor as an opportunityfor a meeting of philosophy and art. What can art do?” with Maxim Kyntor, and professor Michael Gerten, Professor Martin Düchs, professor Gabriele De Anna,Professor Christian Illies, professor Wolgang Brassat of Bamberg University and professor Harald Wydra of University of Cambridge

2019 (June 28, 29, 30) Exhibition and International Conference in Saint-Michael's Church, Luxembourg “MAXIM KANTOR'S THE LAST JUDGEMENT" organised by Luxembourg School of Religion and Society, University of Luxembourg, Musèe National d’Histoire et d’Art of Luxembourg with Maxim Kantor, professors of Bamberg, Cambridge, Luxembourg, Oxford,Torino Universities, art historians of MNHA, Luxembourg and others

2013 - National University T.G. Shevchenko: Change of cultural paradigm

2015 – Akademia Ignatium, Kraków: Conference Ex Oriente Lux: Intelligentsia, Church, Conscience in nowadays Russia

2015 University Notre Dame du Lac, Indiana: - Vincent van Gogh: The Meaning of His Art - Honore Daumier and Social Art - Painting in Burgundy - Russia: Empire Upside Down

2016 Pembroke College, Oxford: From Van der Weyden to Van Gogh via Bosch

2016: Hegelwoche 2016 Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg with the contribution Das Hässliche im Licht der Schönheit: Malerische Erkundungen

2016: National Museum in Gdansk, Department of Ancient Art: The Last Judgement by Hans Memling in the context or the Art of Burgundy from Rogier van der Weyden to Hieronimus Bosch

2018 - Vienna: Vienna Humanities Festival: New and Old Demons: Rethinking Power and Evil with Erik Klein

• Kreiskyforum of International Dialogue: "Rotes Licht" a strong novel about a violent century with Philipp Blom

2019 April 7– Cambridge:Saint Catherine's College “Origins of oil painting. Renaissance vs Avant-guarde

• 1988 „Szene Moskau“, Galerie Eva Poll, Berlin / Museum Hedendaagse Kunst, Utrecht

• 1989 Goethe-Institut, Düsseldorf

• 1989 Landesvertretung der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg beim Bund, Bonn

• 1990 „Looking at Apocalypse in ist face“, Newport Art Museum, Rhode Island

• 1990 „Russia in and out“, Haggerty Museum of Art, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

• 1992 „MAXIM KANTOR – Retrospektive“, Museum Bochum/ Zentrale Ausstellungshallen, Moscow

• 1993 „Salle d’Exposition de l’Hotel de Ville“, Colmar

• 1995 „MAXIM KANTOR – Gemälde 1982–1994“, exhibition tour: Tutesall, Luxemburg, Kunstverein Bayreuth / Kunsthalle, Berlin, Porin Taidemuseo, Pori, Finnland

• 1996 Exhibition tour: Kunsthalle Rostock / Herning Kunstmuseum (Dänemark) / Musée de Pully, (Schweiz) / Puschkin-Museum, Moskau / Royal College of Art, London

• 1997 „Criminal Chronicle“, Russian Pavilion, XLVII Biennale, Venezia

• 1997/98 State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Моscow

• 1998 „Aufstand der Pygmäen“, Galerie der Stadt, Stuttgart

• 1998/2000 Exhibition tour: Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt am Main, Wisconsin, Illinois, Florida, Ulster-Museum, Belfast, Städtisches Museum Luxemburg

• 2001/2002 „Пустырь. Атлас“ ( Portfolio «Wasteland. Atlas») : Государственная Третьяковская Гелерея, Москва, Приморский Художественный Музей, Владивосток, Краснояский Художественный Музей, Красноярск, Новосибирский Художественный Музей

• 2001/2002"Ödland – Ein Atlas" (Portfolio „Wasteland. Atlas“) – Städelsches Kunstinstitut, Frankfurt am Main

• 2001-2002 Ulster Museum, Belfast, Tempo Reale, Meran, South Australian Gallery, Adelaide

• 2002/03 Museum Synagoge Gröbzig

• 2003 World Economic Forum, Arts and Culture in Davos

• 2004/07 „New Empire“, Felix-Nussbaum-Haus Osnabrück; Querini Stampalia Fondazione, Venedig; Ulster Museum, Belfast; Centre Culturel de Recontre, Abbaye de Neumunster, Luxemburg; Akademie der Künste, Berlin; Museum Küppersmühle, Duisburg

• Centre Culturel de Rencontre, Abbaye de Neumunster, Luxembourg

• Museums of Fine Arts in Togliatti and Samara (Russian Federation)

• University of Notre Dame Snite Museum of Art, United States

• 2010 Графическая серия "Вулкан. Атлас" (Portfolio «Vulcan. Atlas»)– Дом Архитектора, Москва (выставка однодневка), one'day show in Moscow «House of Architecture

• 2011 Portfolio "Vulcanus.Atlas". Blätter und Gamälde (Portfolio «Vulcan. Atlas“)- Galerie Nierendorf, Berlin

• 2012 Maxim Kantor. Vulcanus. Satires dans tous les sens Musée du Montparnasse, Paris

• 2012 Volcano - Ashmolean Museum Oxford

• 2012 Maxim Kantor. Paintings and Graphic, State Russian Museum, Saint-Petersburg; Fondazione Stelline, Milano

• 2013 Atlantis - Collegio Armeno Moorat Raphael, Venezia

• 2016 September–November "Maxim Kantor – Das Neue Bestiarium" (Maxim Kantor – New Bestiary), Centre Culturel de Rencontre, Abbaye de Neumunster, Luxembourg

• 2016 from October 2016 to January 2017 "Rodyina kontra Imperium" (Family vs Empire) Nationalmuseum Danzig, Poland

• 2017 February - May "Maxim Kantor - Das Neue Bestiarium" (Maxim Kantor – New Bestiary) Kunsthalle Emden, Niedersachsen 2017

. 2017: 28 March, In Hans-Dietrich-Genscher Hall Inauguration of the site-specific paintings „Library“ and „Storm“, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Berlin • 2017 April–May "De l'autre côté. Merry Symbolism" church Saint Merry, Paris

• 2018 (7.9-13.10) Maxim Kantor "Faust", Gallerie Simoncini, Luxemburg . 2018 (4.10.2018-13.1.2019) "Bosch & Kantor - Maxim Kantor: Das Jüngste Gericht" (The Last Judgement) in Gemälde Galerie der Akademie der Bildenden Künste, Wien (Academy of Fine Arts, #Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien . 2018 (26.10.2018 -3.4.2019) "Garten des Wissens" (Garden of Knowledge) in the Library of Bamberg University, Germany . 2019 (23.10.2019- 19.1.2020)Maxim Kantor's "GOEHTE FAUST" in the exhibition “RUSSIAN ARTISTS OUTSIDE RUSSIA, in livre d’artiste” from the collections of Georgy Gens and Boris Fridman, Eltsin Centre, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation

Besides a large number of private collections, Maxim Kantor's works are in the following public collections:

In the Russian Federation: State Tretiakov Gallery, Moscow; Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow; State Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg; Novosibirsk State Art Museum; Togliatti State Art Gallery, Togliatti

In Germany: Städel Museum, Frankfurt; Museum Ludwig, Cologne; Sprengel Museum, Hannover; Neue Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart; Gemäldegalerie, Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin; Kunsthalle Emden; Anton Ulrich Museum, Braunschweig; Bochum Art Museum, Bochum; Stiftung Deutsche Bank, Frankfurt

In United Kingdom: British Museum, London; Ashmolean Museum, Oxford; Ulster Museum, Belfast

In United States: Haggerty Museum of Art, Milwaukee; Snite Museum, Notre Dame University, Indiana; Bass Museum, Miami Beach, Florida

Also in South Australia State Gallery, Canberra; National Museum of Art and History, Luxembourg; Herring Museum of Art, Denmark; and others.

Hesburgh-Bibliotethek der University of Notre Dame, Indiana

Poland: National Museum in Gdansk

Three artworks, "Refugees" (2015), "Bibliothek" and "Tempest" (2017) are in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany in Berlin.

Common Room in Pembroke College, Oxford

MNHA - Musée National d'Histoire et d'Art, Luxembourg

Bibliothèque Nationale du Luxembourg

Maxim's work is also on display in the following churches: Brussels Cathedral and Église Saint-Merri, Paris

Two works "St. Thomas Aquinas" and St. Augustinus and St. Francis" (2013)are in the Pontifical Academie of Sciences in Vatican in Rome.

· Дом на пустыре (House in Wasteland) Publisher Shabashnikovykh, Moscow, 1993. ISBN 5-8242-0027-0

· Учебник рисования (Drawing Textbook). Oghi, Moscow, 2006. ISBN 5-94282-410-X, 5-94282-411-8, 5-94282-412-6,978-5-17-051037-5,978-5-17-051038-2

· Медленные челюсти демократии (Slow Jaws of Democracy). АСТ, Moscow, 2008. ISBN 978-5-17-053109-7, 978-5-271-20636-8

· Вечер с бабуином (An Evening with a Baboon). Oghi, Moscow, 2008. ISBN 978-5-94282-464-8

· В ту сторону (On the Other Side). Oghi, Moscow, 2009. ISBN 978-5-94282-568-3

· Советы одинокого курильщика. Тринадцать рассказов про Татарникова (Advises of a Lonely Smoker. Thirteen Tales about Tatarnikov). АСТ, Moscow, 2010. ISBN 978-5-17-064171-0, 978-5-271-26345-3

· Совок и веник (Dustpan and Broom). АСТ, Mosow, 2011. ISBN 978-5-17-068477-9, 978-5-271-29138-8, 978-5-4215-1539-5

· Красный свет (Red Light). АСТ, Moscow, 2013. ISBN 978-5-17-078451-6

· Хроника стрижки овец (Chronicle of Sheep-shearing). АСТ, Moscow, 2013. ISBN 978-5-17-082484-7

· Стратегия левиафана (The Strategy of Leviathan). АСТ, Moscow, 2014. ISBN 978-5-17-081983-6

· Империя наизнанку. Когда закончится путинская Россия. (An Empire inside out. The End of Putin's Russia). Algorithm, Moscow, 2015. ISBN 978-5-4438-0972-4

· Полное собрание баллад о Робин Гуде (The Ballads of Robin Hood). АСТ, Moscow, 2015. ISBN 978-5-17-087916-8

· Чертополох. Философия живописи (Thistle. Philosophy of Painting). АСТ, Moscow, 2916. ISBN 978-5-17-095985-3

· Азарт (Hazard). АСТ, Mosow, 2017. ISBN 978-5-17-102176-4

. Красный свет. Роман в двух частях (Red Light. Novel in two Parts)Folio, 2017. ISBN 978-966-03-7641-0

· GLASNOST- Die neue Freiheit der Sowjetischen Maler (GLASNOST. New Frredom of Soviet Painters), Stiftung Henri Nennen, 1988. ISBN 3925564012. ISBN 978-3925564017

· Maxim Kantor. Bilder 1990-1991 (Paintings 1990-1991), Katalog. Verlag der Galerie Eva Poll, 1991.

· Maxim Kantor: Retrospektive (Retrospective), Museum Bochum, 15. Februar-26. April 1992 (Veröffentlichungen zur osteuropäischen Kultur) (German Edition). Das Museum, 1992. ISBN 3809301655. ISBN 978-3809301653

· Maxim Kantor. Arbeiten aus den Jahren 1991 bis 1993 (Paintings from 1991 to 1993), Text by Maxim Kantor; POLLeditionen, Bd. 40, 1993

· Maxim Kantor. Bilder und Zeichnungen 1993-1995 (Paintings and Drawings 1993-1995). Text by Maxim Kantor; POLLeditionen Bd. 43, 1995

· Maxim Kantor. Paintings 1982-1994. Wienand; First edition, 1995. ISBN 3879094152. ISBN 978-3879094158

· Maxim Kantor. Die Radierungen (Etchings), 1997. Text by Margret Stuffmann; POLLeditionen Bd. 48, 1998

· Maxim Kantor: Paintings and Etchings. Schirn Kunsthalle; First edition, 1998. ASIN: B000J0G85W

· Maxim Kantor. Paintings and Etchings. Cantz´sche druckerei, 1998

· Maxim Kantor. Gemälde und Radierungen (Painting and Etchings). Kulturspeicher Oldenburg im Augusteum, Elisabethstr. 1, 26122 Oldenburg, 17. September bis 8. November 1998 Hrsg.: Kulturspeicher im Schloß, Oldenburg. Oldenburg, 1998

· Maxim Kantor. Ödland. Ein Atlas (Wasteland. Atlas), Ausstellungskatalog zur gleichnamigen Ausstellung des Städelsche Kunstinstituts und der Städtischen Galerie, Graphische Sammlung, Frankfurt am Main. 70 Druckgraphiken und 7 Briefe. Hatje Cantz Verlag, Ostfildern-Ruit. 2001. ISBN 3775711163. ISBN 978-3775711166

· Максим Кантор. Пустырь. Атлас (Wasteland. Atlas). Языки славянской культуры, 2001. ISBN 5-94457-017-2

· Maxim Kantor: New Empire. Rasch, 2004. ISBN 3899460383. ISBN 978-3899460384

· Максим Кантор. Одного достаточно / One is Enough. АСТ, Астрель, Mainstream, Moscow, 2010. ISBN 978-5-17-057743-9, 978-5-271-22932-9

· Maxim Kantor. Palace Editions, 2012. ISBN 3863840194 / ISBN 9783863840198

· Maxim Kantor: Vulcanus: Satires Dans Tous Les Sens. Musee Du Montparnasse/ Arcadia Editions, Paris, 2012. ISBN 979-10-90167-08-7

· Maxim Kantor. Das neue Bestiarium: Gemälde, Graphik, Skulpturen und Puppen (New Bestiary: Paintings, Graphic, Sculptures and Puppets. Wienand Verlag, 2016. ISBN 9783868323627. ISBN 3868323627

· Maxim Kantor. Rodzina kontra Imperium. Family vs Empire. Nationalmuseum Danzig, 2016

• "Bosch & Kantor – Maxim Kantor: Das Jüngste Gericht" in Gemäldegalerie der Akademie der bildenden Künste, Wien, 2018

• Official website
• Link to German Maxim Kantor's Wikipage
• Link to Russian Maxim Kantor's Wikipage
• 2018 Who am I without my father - Conversation between Maxim Kantor and Herbert Ohrlinger
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/16/AR2007021602001.html
• Maxim Kantor and Alexandr Borovsky at the opening of the show "VULCANO" Fondazione Stelline, Milan 25.10.2012-06.01.2013. Video
• Maxim Kantor and Alexandr Borovsky at the opening of the show "Atlantis" Palazzo Zenobio, Venice 1.06-21.09.2013. Video Video on YouTube
• Article by Professor Stephen Whitefield for the catalogue of the exhibition "Maxim Kantor - New Bestiary", 2016
• Article by Professor Andrew Teal for the catalogue of the exhibition "Maxim Kantor - New Bestiary", 2016
• Article by Professor Alexander Borovsky for the catalogue of the exhibition "Maxim Kantor - New Bestiary", 2016