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The life of Evgeny Stepanovich Kobytev, marked by both artistic pursuit and the harsh realities of war, is vividly portrayed in two poignant photographs at the Andrei Pozdeev Museum. Born on December 25, 1910, in the village of Altai, he initially worked as a teacher in rural Krasnoyarsk after completing his pedagogical studies. However, his passion for painting soon led him to the Kyiv State Art Institute in Ukraine, where he graduated with honors in 1941.
The photographs, taken during wartime, capture Kobytev on the day he went to the front in 1941 – a youthful artist ready to embrace a creative life – and his return in 1945, now visibly transformed with a thinner face, deep wrinkles, and a weary expression. This stark contrast encapsulates the toll of the grueling conflict on him, reflecting the broader narrative of war’s impact on individuals.
Kobytev’s artistic dreams were abruptly interrupted when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941. Volunteering for the Red Army, he served in an artillery regiment tasked with defending Pripyat. His experiences took a severe turn when he was wounded and captured in September 1941, enduring harsh conditions in the Khorol pit (Dulag #160), a notorious German concentration camp where about 90,000 prisoners of war and civilians perished.
Despite these hardships, Kobytev managed a daring escape in 1943 and rejoined the Red Army, where he participated in key military operations across Ukraine, Moldavia, Poland, and Germany. His efforts were recognized with the Hero of the Soviet Union medal for his role in liberating Smila and Korsun, although the High Command denied him the Victory over Germany medal due to his time as a prisoner of war.
Post-war, Kobytev returned to his artistic pursuits and engaged in cultural activities in his region, serving as a deputy of the city council. He continued to explore his experiences through art, becoming an art teacher and creating works that reflected the deep impacts of his wartime experiences. Kobytev passed away in 1973, leaving behind a legacy that vividly captured the transformation of a man affected by the brutal realities of conflict. His life and art serve as a profound narrative of resilience and the transformative power of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
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