The universal language of graphics by Ya.G. Chernikhov

The article reviews the concept of the common language of graphics, the so-called “art of drawing”, by an outstanding Soviet architect and educator Ya.G. Chernikhov. Studying the communicative aspects of graphics (both artistic and technical), he developed the original concept of a universal graphic language, as well as its teaching methodology. The theoretical works of Ya.G. Chernikhov have long been outside the broad cultural context. They were mainly known in the architectural environment. The creative and theoretical heritage of Ya.G. Chernikhov, the scale of his personality led to a natural interest of Russian and foreign researchers of culture in the first half of the 20th century. The main concepts of the universal graphic language by Ya.G. Chernikhov, his methods of form-building such as “construction”, “constructivism”, “rhythm”, “suprematism”, "spatiality" are discussed in this article and distinguished from the modern understanding of these terms.