Vitaly Karkunov

Vitaly Karkunov (1925, Kharkov, Ukrainian SSR – 2006, Riga, Republic of Latvia) – an artist and an educator.

After returning from the World War II in 1946, Vitaly Karkunov graduated from an art school in Kiev, and in 1954 finished the Department of Easel Painting at the Latvian State Academy of Arts. 

While being a student, he became in charge of the art studio by the Trade Unions' House of Culture in Riga and had been managing it for more than 40 years. Unfortunately, the studio did not survive, however, he continued his work. 

Immediately after his graduation from the Academy in 1954 he became a teacher of drawing at the Riga School of Industrial Art and remained among its staff until the end of his life.  

Vitaly Karkunov created his own school of painting by following the method of a professor of the Saint-Petersburg Academy of Arts, Pavel Chistyakov, who was a teacher of such prominent artists as Repin, Surikov, Polenov, Vrubel and Serov.

The name of Vitaly Karkunov is know to every Latvian artist. His contribution into the formation of several generations of Latvian artists is considerable and undisputable. 

Vitaly Karkunov died in Riga on 12th of January 2006. 

Alexander Malnach