Oscar Mayer

Painter. Born in Tbilisi (1924). Son of Oscar Mayer, a doctor who trained in Germany before the First World War, was arrested on a false charge and died in a transit camp near Tashkent (1938). His mother was an Armenian, who died when he was thirteen. Exiled to Kazakhstan (1941). Took up painting. Worked for the labour army. Although accepted by the Samarkand School of Art, was not allowed to change his place of residence. Studied under Vladimir Eifert at the Sergei Kirov Mining Club studio of art (from 1950). Worked as an artist for the Kazakhstan Department of Fine Art (from mid-1950s). Helped to decorate the Karaganda Railway Station and other municipal buildings. Died (1990).