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Nikolai Smoliakov (1937-1999) is ranked among the most prominent and influential contemporary artists of 20th century Russia.

Education
Nikolai Smoliakov was born in 1937 in the town of Naro-Forminsk, near Moscow, Rusia, then part of the Soviet Union. His mother was a weaver, and his father was killed during WWII, while fighting against the Nazis.

When he was eight years old, young Smoliakov watched with fascination as one of the Nazi prisoners painted a mural on the wall of a school that the defeated Nazi soldiers were forced to rebuild. He then joined the art classes offered at the local Boys and Girls Center, where his teacher recognized his exceptional talent.

In 1951, at age 13, Nikolai Smoliakov was accepted by the prestigious Surikov Art Academy in Russia, from which he graduated with honors in 1957. From there he continued his studies at the Moscow State University, Institute of Printing Arts. He was strongly influenced by his teacher and mentor there, the well-known contemporary Russian artist, Ely Bielutin. In 1962 Smoliakov graduated from the university with highest honors.

The Menage Exhibit of 1962 and the 'Bielutiners'
Later that same year, Bielutin invited Nikolai Smoliakov to participate in an important painting exhibit at the Menage in Moscow, which is one of the largest and most