Background
Alfred Oya was born in 1924, Penza, Russian Federation.
Alfred Oya was born in 1924, Penza, Russian Federation.
Alfred studied at the Penza Art School, and obtained his higher education at Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (1948-1954) at the faculty of arts.
After graduation he worked at the studio "Soyuzmultfilm" (1954-1955). He made sketches for films "Sampo" (1956, directed by A. Ptushko, "Mosfilm"), "Light of a distant star" (1964, directed by I. Pyriev, "Mosfilm"), the filmstrip "Kalev’s son" (1961, 2 series). Created graphic series: "Kalevipoeg", "Living and dead" (1961), "No" (1966), "Soldiers do not die" (1973), "The Lay of the Host of Igor" (1977-1982).
In 1955 Alfred has come back in Penza. He taught at the Penza Art School. Since 1976 he is a Professor of Penza Institute of Civil Engineering, head of the department of drawing, painting and sculpture of the architecture faculty.
Alfred Oya is an author of monumental works: a panel for the Penza Drama Theatre (co-authored with V. Sachkov), an obelisk of Glory "Rostok" (co-authored with A. Fomin and L. Iofan). He was particularly close to the theme of the Great Patriotic War. Being an ordinary foot soldier in the composition of the estonian corps, he fought in the battles during the war. In 1941 Alfred Oya from the second year at the Penza Art School went to the front. At that time he wasn’t even eighteen years old. In January 1943 in a battle for Velikiye Luki he was seriously injured. After recovery returned to his unit, he participated in the war with Japan. From there the artist's mother Ida received a "killed in action" notice, which informed about the death of her son Alfred. Fortunately this news turned out to be a mistake. Throughout the military way the artist was accompanied by a shabby marching album, in which Alfred brought with a hasty hand fluent sketches and strokes of what he saw. Knowing the war from inside, he managed shrilly, with great heartache, to reflect all the hardships and sufferings inflicted on ordinary soviet people. Years have passed. And here on picturesque cloths and graphic sheets of the Honored Artist of Russia Alfred Oya there are brightly and heartfelt done unforgettable pictures of war filled with drama, feat of the Russian Army, maternal inescapable grief and sorrow.
In memory of the fallen soldiers he created a series of monuments in the Penza region (villages Bolshie Hutora and Vileika in Nizhnelomovskiy district, Radishchevo in Kuznetsk district).