DiDi Gallery presents a retrospective exhibition of Leonid Borisov, who was one of the largest representatives of the unofficial trend in Russian art of the 20th century. His art works are the significant cotribution to the development of such styles as geometric abstraction, minimalism and ready-made, becoming an important part of the modern Russian art scene.

Leonid Borisov graduated from the Leningrad Electro-Technical Institute of Communications (1968). He associated with Vladimir Nemukhin, Eduard Steinberg and members of the art group ‘‘Dvizhenie’’ (‘‘Movement’’). He was also a member of the International Federation of Artists (1992). In 1975 he made his debut in the legendary exhibition of unofficial Soviet artists in the DK "Nevsky". Since 1978 the artist actively participated in the projects both in Russia and abroad. In 1978, the artist’s works were exhibited at the show "New Art from the Soviet Union" from the collection of Norton Dodge in the United States. In 1991, the State Tretyakov Gallery acquired two pieces by Borisov for its collection, and a few years later the State Russian Museum bought three works by the artist. In 1995, the first solo exhibition "Geometry" was held at the State Russian Museum.

Although taking part in all significant St. Petersburg "unofficial art" exhibitions since the 1970s, Borisov’s passion for geometry made him even more of an “outsider” in his hometown. He looked towards Moscow Conceptualism (early 1970s–1980s) rather than Soviet Nonconformist Art’s preoccupation with quasi-modernist painting techniques. Like many of his contemporaries, Borisov’s style is also directly linked to Kazimir Malevich (1879–1935), the founder of the nihilistic Suprematist movement. Borisov did not only follow the tradition of Russian avant guarde, but also drew inspiration from 20th century art from the West, such as that of Rene Magritte and Donald Judd.

The exhibition is devoted to the author's interpretation of black color as a form. The artistic study of “black geometry” accompanied the art of L. Borisov throughout his life. A collection of works with the dominating black and white palette covers the period of the artist’s life from the 1970's till 2012. The project gives a unique opportunity to study this phenomenon in the art of L. Borisov.