People’s Artist of Russia Shalva Bedoev dies at 85
In short
Shalva Bedoev, a People’s Artist of Russia and painter who headed the fine arts department at North Ossetian State University, has died at 85, TASS reported, citing the university. Kommersant, citing MK, said his body was found in a studio of the Union of Artists on 4th Tverskaya-Yamskaya Street in Moscow, where it had lain for several weeks. No document gave a cause of death.
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Shalva Bedoev, a People’s Artist of Russia and painter, has died at the age of 85, TASS reported. The agency attributed the information to the North Ossetian State University named after Khetagurov, where Bedoev headed the fine arts department. The university said, according to Vedomosti: “Shalva has died. There is no other information. Earlier his grandchildren took him to Moscow, and he was very hard to reach.” Vedomosti, RBC and Kommersant all reported the death, each crediting the same TASS report. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Kommersant, citing MK, reported that Bedoev’s body was found in a studio of the Union of Artists on 4th Tverskaya-Yamskaya Street in Moscow. MK said the door to the premises was sealed and that the body had lain in the attic for several weeks, according to Kommersant. Kommersant said the artist had spent most of his life in Vladikavkaz but had recently been living in Moscow, where his grandchildren took him. No document stated a cause of death. [ 4 ]
Bedoev joined the Union of Artists of the USSR in 1971 and took part in exhibitions from 1972, Kommersant reported. His solo exhibitions were held in Paris, Moscow, Stavropol and Tskhinval, and one of the main themes of his work was the national art of Ossetia, the outlet said. He became an academician of the Russian Academy of Arts in 2007 and received the title People’s Artist of Russia in 2019, and from 1981 he headed the fine arts department at North Ossetian State University, according to Kommersant. [ 4 ]
Vedomosti reported that his works are held in the State Russian Museum, the museum of the Russian Academy of Arts, museums in other countries and private collections. Among his best-known paintings the outlet named “Grape Harvest”, “Cherry — the Beauty of Kuban”, “Youth” and “Revolutionary Ossetia”. Vedomosti also said he held the medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, second degree. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
Bedoev was a long-serving academic and painter whose works are held in Russian and foreign museums, so his death closes a long teaching and exhibition career centred on North Ossetia. The only account of the circumstances of his death comes from a single outlet’s report, so details of how and where he died remain unverified.
Key facts
- Shalva Bedoev, People’s Artist of Russia and painter, died at 85. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The North Ossetian State University named after Khetagurov, where he headed the fine arts department, confirmed the death to TASS. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- He had headed the fine arts department at the university since 1981. [ 4 ]
- He joined the Union of Artists of the USSR in 1971 and took part in exhibitions from 1972. [ 4 ]
- He became an academician of the Russian Academy of Arts in 2007 and received the title People’s Artist of Russia in 2019. [ 4 ]
- Kommersant, citing MK, reported that his body was found in a studio of the Union of Artists on 4th Tverskaya-Yamskaya Street in Moscow, and that it had lain in the attic for several weeks. [ 4 ]
- His works are held in the State Russian Museum, the museum of the Russian Academy of Arts, museums abroad and private collections. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- The cause of death was not stated in any document. None of the documents gives a cause or any medical detail.
- The account of the body being found in a Moscow studio, the sealed door and the weeks spent there rests on MK as cited by Kommersant alone. Single-source claim, attributed by Kommersant to MK and not carried by the other outlets.
- Where exactly Bedoev died is not stated. Kommersant says he had recently lived in Moscow while spending most of his life in Vladikavkaz; no document states the place of death.
- The university’s statement that the artist was hard to reach and had been taken to Moscow by his grandchildren was not explained further. Quoted by Vedomosti and Kommersant, but the documents do not say when or why.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports the death of People’s Artist of Russia Shalva Bedoev, aged 85. [ 1 ]
- Vedomosti reports the death, citing TASS and the North Ossetian State University, and lists his works and honours. [ 2 ]
- RBC reports the death, citing TASS and the university. [ 3 ]
- Kommersant reports the death and, citing MK, says the body was found in a studio on 4th Tverskaya-Yamskaya Street in Moscow. [ 4 ]
- RIA Novosti carries a headline reporting the death, without further text. [ 5 ]