Yakov Kayev was a painter and a graphic artist. Having fought in the First World War (1914-1918), he settled in Borovichi and painted revolutionary-themed paintings. In 1924, he entered the AKhR society, which specialised in visual propaganda (posters, billboards, etc), exhibitions, decorating columns and buildings for festive occasions, and creating visuals for demonstrations. In 1947, he joined the Artists’ Union. Yakov Kayev exhibited his work at exhibitions held in the city and elsewhere across the region. He created and headed a painting class in Borovichi at the regional folk art centre (1946-1949) and worked at the town’s Cultural Centre in the 1960s. His work can be found in the Novgorod State Museum reserve, as well as the Borovichi local history and lore museum. Some of his work also made its way into private collections, and some disappeared.
