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1883 - 1977

Alexis Gritchenko

description

A Ukrainian painter and graphic artist, art historian and critic, art theorist and memoirist, who lived and worked in France for a long time.

He was one of 10 children of the director of a local bank. At the insistence of his mother, he studied at the Chernigov seminary, where he met writer M. Kotsyubinsky, with whom he kept in touch for a long time.

One of well-known avant-garde artists, A. Gritchenko was an active member of the Paris group of Ukrainian artists, maintained constant contacts with AIUA in Lviv (Association of Independent Ukrainian Artists). A participant and, since 1931, a member of the Paris Salons, whose works are represented, in addition to France and Ukraine, at the national museums of modern art of Copenhagen, Brussels, Madrid, Oslo, Boston, Philadelphia, as well as at the State Russian Museum and the Tretyakov Gallery (Russia). Of particular value are the theoretical studies of A.V. Gritchenko in the field of art and books of memories.

Key ideas:

– In his golden years, A. Gritchenko, who had already received world recognition, wrote, “I can only paint when there is harmonious balance of my mind and body. I owe the source of inexhaustible joy, which I have in me, to my family, childhood and Ukraine.”

– In the spirit of the times – the beginning of the 20th century – the artist experimented a lot in Cubism and Fauvism, used the techniques of Impressionism and primitivism, developed his theory – «color dynamics». The works of Gritchenko, according to V. Popovich, are distinguished by the use of Expressionism techniques “exclusively in form and color” – in markedly strong colors, dynamic design, pasty-relief texture. At the same time, he did not accept the worldview of Expressionists, because he “was alien to ever-disturbing doubts and internal conflicts.”

– In the Turkish and Greek period, according to the author of the first monograph on Gritchenko, P. Kovzhun, he paints “unusually and a lot, and with new energy and new love.” This period becomes “the end of everything that had been revised and investigated, and things are not the same as they were”. And it’s not that the artist had no money for oil paints and painted with watercolors. The artistic statement (colorful planes and clear contours) is still full of courage, but lyricism and a special subtlety in the expression of feelings appeared in his works.

– Under the influence of the southern landscapes of Greece and France, the lights of large cities, the widely and generously used colors and dramatic colors of Gritchenko became the expression of inner powers of the master who sought to transform the world in the canvas in his vision. At the same time, not the criteria for the novelty of techniques, but the criteria for the culture of painting in exquisite and concise color planes , and sometimes in the unrestrained temperament of a free brush, are central in the work of Gritchenko.

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1883

1900

1909 - 1912

1913 - 1914

1915 - 1917

1918 - 1921

1921 - 1922

1923 - 1928

1930

1950

1960

1970

1977

The birth of the artist

Alexis Gritchenko was born on April 2, 1883 in the town of Krolevets, Chernigov Province, Ukraine.

He studied at the universities of St. Petersburg, Moscow and Kiev

Refusing a career as a priest, he studied at the universities of St. Petersburg, Moscow and Kiev; received a diploma in biology. At the same time, mastering the art basics, he was engaged in drawing and painting at the Kiev private studio of the artist-ant-rogue Svitoslavsky.

He attended the studio and school of Yuon and Dudin

He went to Moscow for «art life». He attended the studio and school of Yuon and Dudin, then worked with the «sezannists», members of the “Jack of Diamonds” Mashkov and Konchalovsky, who founded a painting studio, and at the workshop of V. Tatlin. Visited Paris; spent a lot of time in the Louvre. To study the iconography, he went to Russian cities. Took part in the exhibitions “New Society of Artists” and “Jack of Diamonds”.

Traveled around Italy

Traveled around Italy, experimented with Cubism and Fauvism, combining fresco painting, elements of Ukrainian and Russian folk art and icon technique. He became an exhibitor of the shows of the “Union of Youth”, “Free Art”, and published the work “The Relationship of Russian Painting with Byzantium and the West”.

He became a member of the “World of Art”

He became a member of the “World of Art”, joined the council of the Professional Union of Artists of Moscow, the All-Russian Collegium for the Protection of Monuments of Antiquities. Organized the rescue of valuable paintings of the princes Baryatinskis from the front line. Exhibitions: «Paintings of the leftist movements in art» (1915), «Contemporary Russian painting» (1916), etc. Published the article “Russian icon as an art of painting” (1917).

Went to Kiev, then to Istanbul

Was invited to be a professor at the State Free Studios (Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture), organized an exhibition named “Color Dynamics and Tectonic Primitivism” with students, publishing a manifesto for it. Went to Kiev, then to Istanbul, where he spent 2 years working fruitfully. Visited Greece.

Moved from Cubism to "the explosive color expression"

In France, he settled in the town of Cagnes, where Renoir lived. 24 works were exhibited at the Salon d’Automne in Paris under the name “Spirit of the East” and F. Leger placed them next to his paintings. Soon the paintings were exhibited at the leading galleries of Paris. Moved from Cubism to “the explosive color expression.” Participated in the First Russian Art Exhibition in Berlin (1922).

Participated in the Paris Autumn Salons

Participated in the Paris Autumn Salons. Art dealer P. Guillaume selected the artist’s Constantinople watercolors, 10 of which were acquired by American millionaire A. Barnes; he showed the paintings at Russian art exhibitions in Brussels and at the exhibition “Contemporary French Art” in Moscow (both took place in 1928), held a number of personal exhibitions.

The artist became an official member of the Paris Autumn Salon

The artist became an official member of the Paris Autumn Salon, gave his works for the first exhibition of the Association of Independent Ukrainian artists (AIUA, Lviv, 1931); after 6 years, the Lviv Museum of the Scientific Society named after T. Shevchenko organized a personal exhibition releasing a monograph in Ukrainian. Exhibitions were held in Paris and Madrid (1934), in Barcelona and Prague (1935), in Stockholm and Gothenburg (1937). Actively participated in exhibitions in the next decade.

“Russian émigré artists in Paris”

After three exhibitions in Strasbourg, his works were presented at the Redfern Gallery in London at the exhibition “Russian émigré artists in Paris”; the shows were held in Copenhagen, Montreal and Madrid. Along with the triumph of the master, a tragedy happened: during the «cleansing» of the museums of Ukraine, the works of Gritchenko were destroyed due to their “bourgeois content”. In 1958, a book was published with the poetic title “Ukraine of my blue days” in Munich, 102 works are shown at the personal exhibition in the USA.

A retrospective exhibition was held in Cagnes-sur-Mer

A retrospective exhibition was held in Cagnes-sur-Mer; an exhibition was held in Toronto; the memoirs “My years in Constantinople” were published in Munich, the memoirs “My meetings and conversations with French creators” were published in New York. The artist created his Foundation, bequeathed to Ukraine 72 paintings, the “Kan” carpet and the priceless “Bible” – a handwritten diary with reviews, articles, notes. In 1966, the artist personally visited the opening of his vernissage in New York (Peter Deutsch gallery, 97 works).

The society "Ukraine" organized an exhibition of works by the artist in Kiev

The society “Ukraine” organized an exhibition of works by the artist in Kiev. The last lifetime exhibition was the Canadian show – in 1976, at the Edmonton Gallery (author lithographs and original watercolors).