Alexander Arkadyevich Labas began studying art at the studio of Vitaly Ilyich Mushketov in Smolensk at the age of six. In 1912, he enrolled in the Stroganov Central Academy of Arts and Industry. During his time there, he took classes with the renowned painter and watercolorist Fyodor Ivanovich Rerberg, as well as the artist Ilya Ivanovich Mashkov. In 1917, Alexander Labas studied at the State Free Art Workshops under the guidance of Pyotr Petrovich Konchalovsky.
In 1919–1920, Alexander Labas served in the Red Army as an artist for the 3rd Army on the Eastern Front.
In 1921, he began participating in exhibitions.
In 1920–1921, Alexander Labas taught at the Yekaterinburg Art Institute. In 1924, he became a teacher at the Higher Art and Technical Studios where he taught color science and painting techniques.
He was a founding member of the Society of Easel Artists which was established in 1925. Its members strove to reflect Soviet reality in art. The artistic themes included industrialization and life in a modern city.
Works by Alexander Labas are represented in Russian museum collections, including the State Tretyakov Gallery and the State Russian Museum.
While working on visual propaganda for the Red Army
during the Russian Civil War, Alexander Labas first came up with the idea for
“Shark of Imperialism”. He recalled the further story behind this work,
