David Davidovich Burliuk

Ukranian, 1882-1967

David Davidovich Burliuk was born in the village of Semyrotivka, near Kharkiv in present-day Ukraine, into a family rich in artistic tradition and Cossack heritage. He received formal training in Odessa, Kazan, Munich, and Paris, grounding his practice in both Eastern European and Western traditions.

By the 1910s, Burliuk had positioned himself as a central figure in the Russian avant-garde. He co-founded the literary-artistic group Hylaea, helped publish the groundbreaking manifesto A Slap in the Face of Public Taste, and was deeply involved in the Futurist and Neo-Primitivist movements. His early work, marked by vivid color and folk elements, reflected a belief that modernism should engage native cultural forms.

After leaving Russia during the post-revolutionary period, Burliuk immigrated to the United States in 1922. He settled in New York and later on Long Island, continuing to paint, write, and create modern art. During this American phase, his work evolved into a more personal style that blended symbolism, expressionism, and a continued respect for the landscapes of his Ukrainian youth.

Remembered as the “father of Russian Futurism,” Burliuk left behind a diverse legacy. His work resides in major museum collections worldwide and continues to be studied for its cultural depth and pivotal role in shaping early modernism.