Still-Life with Letters. Spectrum Flight (1919) clearly reflects the influence of Suprematism on the art of Jean Pougny. Pougny’s Suprematism, however, was something of a compromise. The formulatory basis of Suprematism united in his oeuvre with reality, a reminder of which are various objects, words, fragments of words and details from everyday life. The word form, with its treble m, evokes the idea of extension. Pougny later repeated this plastic manoeuvre at his one-man show at the Galerie Der Sturm in Berlin (1921), when he installed the word Flight on the walls of the exhibition hall. He repeated the work at the same time for he was unable to take it abroad.

Pougny Jean

Pougny Jean (Puni, Ivan Albertovich) (1894, Kuokkala (Finland) - 1956, Paris)
Painter, graphic artist, theatrical designer, illustrator, writer on art. Studied at the Military Academy in St Petersburg (1900-1908). Visited Italy and France and studied at the Academic de Rodolphe Julian in Paris (1910-1912). Contributed to the exhibitions of the Union of Youth (1912-1913), Salon des Independants (1913, 1914), Jack of Diamonds (1916-1917) and the Four Arts (1928). Helped to curate the Tramcar V. First Futurist Exhibition (1915) and 0,10. Last Futurist Exhibition (1915-1916). Taught at the Petrograd Free Art-Studios (1918) and under Marc Chagall at the Vitebsk School of Art (1919). Emigrated to Berlin (1921) and Paris (1923). Awarded the Legion d'honneur (1946). Contributed to exhibitions in France, Austria, Italy, Japan, Mexico and the United States.