Ukrainian underground was a movement in Ukraine'sSoviet period from the late 1950s through the early 1990s. This art form was banned by several totalitarian countries of Eastern Europe and the USSR. It was also known under other names, such as unofficial art, nonconformism, and dissident art. It ended due to the Perestroika reform movement, which led to Ukrainian independence in 1991. After the Soviet Union collapsed, similar counter-cultural processes developed under the names of "alternative" or "marginal" art. The avant-garde ideas of underground art were picked up and developed by the next generation of the Ukrainian New Wave.
"Underground," in this context, refers to creativity that is directed towards self-expression of the individual or artistic groups, in contrast to the philosophical, ethical, and aesthetic codes of the mainstream.[1] Ukrainian underground literature was published by the authors themselves and these dissident publications were known as samizdat. Underground music was performed for a small number of listeners.
History
Balcony painting by Anatoly Sumar 1958Artist Florian Yuriev at his exhibition Painting 1960–70 in the National Art Museum of Ukraine, 2016M.Trehub. Zonally, color concept. Paper, mixed media.1980 Writer G. Tiutiunnyk by Ukrainian artist Y. Levych.1979.C.,о., 80х60.1979Nicholas Zalevsky . Once upon the Night. C., o. 85 x 92 cm. 1974
During the 1960–1980s, Ukrainian underground art was also called "the second wave of the avant-garde", which was consonant with the first wave of Ukrainian avant-garde in the early twentieth century, which held similarly innovative artistic goals. Underground art exhibition was typically banned. Artists held exhibitions in abandoned buildings, homes of friends, and similar venues. One of the first apartment exhibitions in Ukraine was held in Odesa in 1956, in the apartment of the artist and art critic Oleg Sokolov. The underground movement garnered significant publicity after a 1967 exhibition by two young artists under the title "Sychik+Khruschik" (Stanislav Sychov and Valentin Khrushch). The artists hung their paintings on a street fence, drawing a considerable crowd. The exhibition lasted three hours until authorities dispersed the audience.
Subsequently, a powerful group formed consisting of artists and nonconformists who openly opposed Socialist Realism: Alexander Anufriev, Vladimir Strelnikov, Victor Marynyuk, Valery Basanets and his wife Tatiana, Ludmila Yastreb, Andrei Antoniuk, Lucien Dulfan, Oleg Voloshin, Eugene Rakhmanin, Vladimir Tsiupko, Igor Bozhko, Alexander Stovbur, Yuri Egorov, Michael Kowalski, Sergei Knyazev, Vladimir Naumets, Nikolay Stepanov, Alexander Dmitriev, Nadia Haiduk, Vitaly Sazonov, Viktor Rysovych, Eugene Hodenko, and others.[2]
In 1965, in Kharkiv, a one-day exhibition of nonconformist art was held under the title "Under the arch". It involved such artists as Vagrich Bakhchanyan , Anatoly Krynsky, Michael Basov, Yuri Kuchukov, Anatoly Shulik and others. Some of these individuals studied under famous avant-garde artists who worked in Kharkiv, such as Alexey Shcheglov, Vasyl Yermylov, Borys Kosarev. A creatively-different atmosphere developed in western Ukraine, since many artists there were educated in the European art tradition, rather than Soviet. In the late 1950s, in Uzhhorod, a circle formed of abstract artists which included Paul Bedzir, Elizabeth Kremnytska, Ferenc (Echi) Seman, and others. At the same time, in Lviv, such artists as Marhit and Roman Selsky gathered in their homes a group of artists including Carlo Zvirynsky, Roman Turin, Omelian Lishchynsky, Daniel Dovboshynsky, Vladimir Patyk, Jaroslav Motyka, Oksana and Vladimir Rybotytski. In the 1970-1980s, the Lviv circle of informal artists was supplemented by such names as Alexander Aksinin, Nadezhda Ponomarenko, Galina Zhyhulska, Valery Demyanyshyn, Yevhen Zakharov, Michael Green, Vladimir Pinihin, and others.
In 1960–1964 in Kyiv, the "Creative Youth Club" was active[3] The members consisted of writers, composers, scientists, and actors. Among the artists were Alla Horska and her husband Viktor Zaretsky, Opanas Zalyvakha, Lyudmila Semykina, Galina Sevruk, Galina Zubchenko, Alexander Shkaraputa, and Vladimir Pryadko. The first apartment exhibition in Kyiv (1964) was organized by the artist Anatoly Prevish. His work contained the symbols of the fortitude of the era.[4] In the 1970s, the "Rukh"("Movement") formed. Its members included writers, scientists, and artists. They regularly gathered to discuss the latest artistic trends and to read samizdat. In 1977, they organized an exhibition that included such artists as Yuri Kosin, Nik Niedzelski, Mikola Tregub, Vudon Baklitsky, Nicholas Zalevsky, Alexander Kostetsky, Olena Golub, Vladimir Boguslavsky, Mikhael Zhukov, and others.[5]
Underground artists typically worked at home without any hope of recognition, supplementing their work by such activities as book illustration. In the late 1970s a certain degree of liberalization in the social system occurred, which led to partial acceptance of the unofficial art. Underground artists were able to participate in a limited number of official exhibitions. These artists included Valery Lamakh, Florian Yuriev, Wilen Barsky, Alexander Dubovik, Feodosiy Tetianych , Ernest Kotkov, Alexander Shuldyzhenko, Gregory Gavrylenko, Anatoly Sumar, Akim Levich, Zoe Lerman, Ivan Marchuk, Irina Vysheslavska, Alexander Pavlov, Julius Sheinis, Michael Weinstein, Anatoly Lymarev, Ada Rybachuk and Volodymyr Melnychenko.
Many underground artists suffered persecution by the authorities for their stances. Some of them died young, while others were forced to leave the country and work in Europe or the USA. Despite the hard times, many artists persevered by performing "quiet resistance" with their brushes and paints, creating innovative and unusual art displays, performances, and installations. Their works are now recognized across the globe and constitute the bulk of collections at museums such as Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University, Museum of Russian Art, National Art Museum of Ukraine, NT-Art Gallery, and others.
Artists V. Basanets and V. Maryniuk at a conference in Kyiv dedicated to Odesa nonconformism 2013Star Flowers. Painting by V. Baklitskyi 1990
Soviet nonconformist art was Soviet art produced in the former Soviet Union outside the control of the Soviet state started in the Stalinist era, in particular, outside of the rubric of Socialist Realism. Other terms used to refer to this phenomenon are Soviet counterculture, "underground art" or "unofficial art".
Vladimir Ivanovich Ovchinnikov was a Soviet, Russian painter, lived and worked in Leningrad, member of the Leningrad branch of Union of Artists of Russian Federation, regarded as one of the leading representatives of the Leningrad school of painting, most famous for his landscape paintings.
Dmitry Ivanovich Maevsky was a Soviet Russian painter, lived and worked in Leningrad, a member of the Leningrad Union of Artists, regarded as one of the representatives of the Leningrad school of painting, most famous for his lyrical landscapes.
Mikhail Davidovich Natarevich was a Soviet, Russian painter who lived and worked in Leningrad; he was a member of the Leningrad Union of Artists, and was regarded as one of the brightest representatives of the Leningrad School of Painting.
Nadezhda Pavlovna Shteinmiller was a Russian Soviet realist painter, graphic artist, art teacher, scenographer, and stage designer who lived and worked in Leningrad. She was a member of the Leningrad Union of Artists, regarded as one of the leading representatives of the Leningrad School of Painting.
Tavricheskaya Art School is a secondary art school in Saint Petersburg (Leningrad). From 1919 to 1961, it was located in a building at Tavricheskaya Street, 35. This was the informal name of the art school. From 1930 to 1950, Tavricheskaya Art School played an important role in the preparation of Leningrad artists and the formation of the Leningrad school of painting. In the 20th century, the Tavricheskaya Art School repeatedly altered its official name and address. Since 1992 the art school, which had been called the Saint Petersburg Art School, was renamed after Nicholas Roerich.
Zlata Nikolaevna Bizova was a Russian Soviet realist painter and graphic artist, who lived and worked in Saint Petersburg. She was a member of the Saint Petersburg Union of Artists and is regarded as one of representatives of the Leningrad school of painting.
Soviet art is the visual art style produced after the Russian Revolution of 1917 and during the existence of the Soviet Union, until its collapse in 1991. The Russian Revolution led to an artistic and cultural shift within Russia and the Soviet Union as a whole, including a new focus on socialist realism in officially approved art.
Yuri Kosin was a Ukrainian photographer, lecturer, curator of exhibitions, and traveler. Kosin was a member of the National Society of Photo Artists of Ukraine, tutor and curator at the Independent Academy of the Photographic Arts of Ukraine, organizer and curator of the "Eksar" photo gallery, Ukraine. He was also a member of the "Kulturforum" association and the artistic studio "Kulturwerkstatt Trier", Germany. He was a permanent member of the TV Ukrainian program "Svoimi ochima" (eyewitness) dedicated to travel and tourism. Kosin was named one of the experts in photography criticism in Ukraine in expert poll conducted in 2011 and was a participant of the Ukrainian New Wave.
Ukrainian avant-garde is the avant-garde movement in Ukrainian art from the end of 1890s to the middle of the 1930s along with associated artists in sculpture, painting, literature, cinema, theater, stage design, graphics, music, architecture. Some well-known Ukrainian avant-garde artists include: Kazimir Malevich, Alexander Archipenko, Vladimir Tatlin, Sonia Delaunay, Vasyl Yermylov, Alexander Bogomazov, Aleksandra Ekster, David Burliuk, Vadym Meller, and Anatol Petrytsky. All were closely connected to the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv, and Odesa by either birth, education, language, national traditions or identity. Since it originated when Ukaine was part of the Russian Empire, Ukrainian avant-garde has been commonly lumped by critics into the Russian avant-garde movement.
Olena Golub or Holub is a Ukrainian contemporary artist, media artist, digital artist, collage artist, painter, art historian, representative of Ukrainian New Wave, member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine ,Hungarian Electrographic Art Association. Her works have been exhibited internationally, including Germany, Netherlands, Belgium South Korea, Poland, and Austria. Museums with her art works include the National Art Museum of Ukraine, and Museum of Pannonhalma Archabbey, Hungary.
Alexander Kostetsky was a Ukrainian painter and sculptor. His name has various transliterations into English and variants include Aleksandr Kostetsky, Alexander Kostecky, Alexander Kostetski and Aleksandr Kosteckij. His art style is Magic Realism, Fantastic art.
Valentin Khrushch was a Ukrainian artist, one of the central figures of the Odesa school of unofficial art.
Nicholas Zalevsky — Ukrainian and American figurative painter. His works have been associated with Magic realism, Photorealism and Surrealism. He started his career as a Soviet Nonconformist Artist opposing the then dominant to Soviet Socialist realism. He had to create art in the underground. From 1991 he works out of West Hartford, Connecticut, USA, with regular visits to his native city.
Galina Osetsimskaya was a collector of Soviet Nonconformist Art and Russian contemporary art.
Hlib Vysheslavskyi — is a Ukrainian artist; art historian, he holds a PhD in art theory and history (2014), and is a member of the International Union of Artists «Sztuka bez Granic» (Kraków) and the National Union of Artists of Ukraine. He is an author of art in painting, graphics, photo, video, installation and scientific research of contemporary art. Representative of Ukrainian New Wave.
Vilen Isaakovych Barskyi was a Ukrainian Soviet and German painter and graphic artist. He was a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR, Dortmund Group. He was also a Russian-language poet, essayist, and author of experimental works of graphopoetry. He was a prominent representative of postmodernism, conceptualism and underground culture as well as a teacher.
Alexander Gnylytsky was a Ukrainian artist who was one of the pioneers of the Ukrainian New Wave. In 1994 he became a member of the Kyiv art group named "Paris Commune". From 1996 he was one of the founders and the head of the Institute of Unstable Thoughts. He worked on installation and video art and represented Ukraine at the Venice Biennale in 2007. Much of his work resonates with the Italian transavantgarde movement.
Ukrainian New Wave — a set of creative directions that arose in Ukraine in the period from the late 1980s to the early 2000s in reaction to turbulent socio-political events of that time such as collapse of the USSR, perestroika, Declaration of Independence of Ukraine. It is one of the most influential manifestation of Ukrainian postmodernism, which is characterized by a variety of works and groups of both destructive and constructive nature, aimed at both strengthening the features of fine arts and moving away from it towards actionism and replacing traditional art with the latest technologies. Bright polystylistism Ukrainian New Wave originated in the previous period Ukrainian underground art, which arose spontaneously, without censorship and ideological restrictions.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
