Alexander Arefiev (Russian, 1931-1978) gouache on paper painting titled Gestures depicting several persons in one scene. Signed and dated 1969 upper left. From the collection of Dmitri Shagin as written on the back. Framed. In the 1950s Arefiev made numerous paintings and drawings of contemporary Leningrad life. He continued his career as an artist and joined the Leningrad City Committee of Artists in 1966. He had two personal shows at the end of the 1960s. In 1970 Arefiev took part in the famous group exhibition at the studio of Vladimir Ovchinnikov (1941-2015) and participated in the first exhibition of non-conformist art at the Gaza House of Culture in 1974 and the second one at the Nevsky House of Culture in 1975 becoming one of the leaders of Leningrad Avant-guard in the 1970s. Alexander was invited to join the Experimental Exhibition Partnership founded by Youri Jarkikh (or Jarki) and Evgeny Rukhin in 1975 and showed his works with the group at the number of exhibitions in Leningrad and Moscow until his emigration to Austria and then France in 1977.