Nikolay Soikan, City 9, 1964, Monotype

City 13. 1966, paper, monotype, varnish, 47x77 cm

Soikans Nikolay, pseudonym Niklo de Martell (till 1953.)
1926. 9 IX Ludza – 1980. 21 II Lester, Great Britain – graphic artist.
He was born at regional government family. The artistically education he received at the painter’s studio J. Gailis, J. Kalmite and graphic artist A. Junkers.
He learned also to his brother J. Soikans (painter, graphic artist, teacher and art scientist).
At the time of Second World War he was cooled up for Latvian legion.
1947. – he emigrate to Germany and graduated Gymnasium of Altgarge.
1954. – he emigrate to England and worked at factory of Rockdale and graduated Institute of Export at London University as a extern.
He worked at American company Caterpillar at Lester and was one from best specialists. He became one from directors of this company after some years.
Artist was a member of English artist’s society, Great Britain Latvian’s artist’s society and applied artist’s society (director 1964 – 1966)
He took part at exile Latvian artist’s exhibitions. He published 11 albums of his graphic art. At the end of 40th and 40th he worked at techniques linocut ting and wood cutting (themes of social political and exile) (albums “Niklo de Martell”, 1952, “Akmens sprosta”, 1955, “Ciesanu laiks”, 1954 – about communism terror at motherland.)
At his drawings he employed classical expressionism and stylization of forms. At 1961 he become acquainted with technique, what used J. Soikans – Japanese palette knife and printing colors (book “Abstract expressionism”, 1964., “Nikolay Soikans”, 1965, ”Res Humanae”, 1966.)
Still 1965 he painted mainly big, expressionistic landscapes (1. honor prize at Latvian’s song fest art exhibition, Toronto, 1965.)