PYOTR (PIOTR) BELENOK (RUSSIAN, 1938–1991) “Anguish,” 1974

Mixed media and collage on paper laid on cardboard

Signed and dated lower right

Image Size: 22 1/4 x 17 3/4 in (56.5 x 45 cm)

Frame Size: 30 x 26 in (76.2 x 66 cm)

A rare and emotionally charged work by important Soviet Nonconformist artist Pyotr Belenok, created in 1974 during the height of the unofficial art movement in the USSR. Closely associated with Soviet Nonconformist Art, Belenok belonged to the generation of artists who rejected the strict limitations of Socialist Realism and developed deeply personal, experimental, and philosophically charged visual languages outside official Soviet institutions.

Unlike many of his contemporaries, Belenok created visionary compositions filled with metaphysical tension, cosmic imagery, and psychological drama. Anguish is an exceptional example of the artist’s unique style — a haunting and surreal landscape dominated by dramatic black-and-white contrasts, interrupted by an isolated human figure that intensifies the work’s existential atmosphere. The complex mixed media surface and collage technique create remarkable depth and movement, reinforcing the emotional intensity of the composition.

Belenok’s works are considered among the most distinctive examples of late Soviet underground art and have been exhibited internationally in exhibitions dedicated to Russian Nonconformist and unofficial Soviet art. Today, his works are included in important museum and private collections focused on postwar Russian avant-garde and Soviet underground movements.

Condition: Overall, very good vintage condition with minor age-related toning and wear consistent with age.