Major art:
a book worth reading about the architect Pavel Abrosimov and art

Today, publishing houses are not so willing to publish books about architectural masterpieces, write even less about famous architects, while works about Soviet urban planning in the era of Stalinism are generally a rarity. It is all the more pleasant that in 2021 a book appeared about the Soviet architect Pavel Abrosimov, who designed buildings and structures in Moscow, Baku, Kiev, and other cities of the Soviet Union.

The work about Pavel Abrosimov is called Major art reflections and was published by the Azerbaijani publishing house Gabala Image Press. Its author is the famous architectural historian Nizerli I.A. The circulation is small ─ only 1 thousand copies.

The work is not just a biography of a person who brought something new to the appearance of Soviet cities, it is a book about the architectural art of the second quarter of the last century. This is also evidenced by the name: Major art reflections, which translates as "major reflections on art."

Why art? The author believes that an architect is not just a designer; first of all, he is a creator who not only creates individual masterpieces, but organically weaves them into the general urban fabric. This is the only way to create an object that becomes a real work of art. Otherwise, it is a beautiful flower among gray and dull buildings that looks ridiculous. According to the author, Pavel Abrosimov and his associates managed to start such an evolution, go through its most difficult stages and partially transform the appearance of Soviet cities.

Major art reflections is not a solid text: the book contains a large number of illustrations and photographs of objects that were created by Pavel Abrosimov himself and his team. But the book also includes many archival photos dedicated to the early work of the architect, which are largely unknown even to connoisseurs of Stalinist architecture. The reader will be able to familiarize himself with early sketches of scenery and sketches, which were mostly made in Baku.

After reading the biography of Pavel Abrosimov, one can understand why an Azerbaijani author became the initiator of writing "Major art reflections", and an Azerbaijani publishing house took over the issue.

The fact is that the architect began his career in this republic. At the age of 10, the family of the future specialist moved from Kharkov to Baku, here he graduated from school and entered the Baku University, where he received the profession of an architect and artist. It was in Baku that Pavel Abrosimov began his journey and worked as a designer in local theaters, and the culture of this city and country, according to the writer, left an imprint on his future work. We believe that such an assessment has the right to life, although it may seem controversial to many, because the master made his main projects in Moscow and Leningrad.

Another line that is displayed in the book is an analysis of the architectural era of the Stalinist period. Moreover, it was conducted through the prism of Pavel Abrosimov alone, although that time is considered the time of teams, when several co-authors participated in the preparation of each project. However, as it seems to us, Nizerli I.A. quite successfully reflected the tendencies of that time through the works of one hero. It is possible that it is easier this way, we think: if it turns out to truthfully describe the architecture of the period through a book, to let the reader feel the atmosphere of that time, then why not take the chance and somewhat simplify the analysis.

The book about Pavel Abrosimov has already attracted the interest of the public abroad, where this topic is being developed more actively. It is a pity that in the homeland of the architect, in the countries of the former USSR, it arouses less curiosity, including among specialists. However, there is hope that the situation will turn around and about Soviet architecture, as well as its creators, we will begin to read much more often.

In Russia, the book is not yet available for sale, although it is planned to begin its implementation in February 2022. Interested readers will be able to familiarize themselves with the work of the famous architect Pavel Abrosimov, among whose creations there are real masterpieces: the complex of buildings of Moscow State University, the house of the Ukrsovnarkom, the reconstructed Vakhtangov theater, etc.