Maria Prymachenko

description

A bright and famous Ukrainian representative of the “people’s primitive art”, People’s Artist of Ukraine. She is also known as an illustrator of many children’s books. An iconic figure not only in modernist Ukrainian culture, but also as a master of fantasy painting, recognized far beyond the borders of the country. Her works were exhibited all over the world: in Paris and Montreal, in Prague and Sofia, in Warsaw, etc. The artist’s name is written in golden letters in the World Encyclopedia of Art. By the decision of UNESCO, 2009 was declared the year of M. Prymachenko. From the heritage of more than 900 paintings, 650 belong to the National Art Museum of Ukraine.

Key ideas:

– Maria Prymachenko, as if justifying herself, said, “Wherever I look, I see flowers or animals everywhere… They are on the ceiling and on the floor…”. Having a talent for fantasizing, as much as would be enough for 10 people, a talent of a draftsman and a colorist, as well as an incredible ability to work hard, she depicted what she, unlike ordinary people, really managed to see. At the same time, she drew like a person who cannot help doing that, as much as cannot stop breathing. Painting was her way of self-expression and a chance to fight with her disease.

– In the early period, the artist preferred compositions with flowers and plants. They often could not be compared with real-life ones. When asked why she did not paint real flowers, she answered simply, “What for? Everyone sees them anyway”.

– Later, Maria became fascinated with sketches of everyday scenes, where, along with her beloved flora and fauna, people appeared. These works were as vivid and emotional as the famous animals, but less original.

– The rural artist became worldly famous thanks to her birds, home pets and wild beasts. Inspired by folklore, her childhood admiration for creatures, which her father carved out of wood, for the beauty of eggs painted by her grandmother and for her mother’s embroideries, she herself “wrote” tales and myths with the help of images and color. Maria’s bull, respected by farmers and revered by villagers as a symbol of fertility, is visually connected with the sky, since his powerful taut torso is sown with stars, like a field sown with grain. The lush beard of a sage and the crown of the sovereign emphasize greatness. Looking at this “Blue Bull”, it is easy to compose a legend or a fairy tale. The birds of Prymachenko, like the totem Slavic birds, not just inhabit the world, but also create it, bring news and sing the life.

– Prymachenko’s fantasy often gave birth to not only fantastic images of creatures with disproportionate body parts (usually with an incredibly huge head) and unusual colors, but also an ornamental pattern on their bodies. The fact that the bear is completely filled with bees is quite understandable; however, it is hard to guess, why a wondering lion is covered with chamomiles or why a beast with humps is covered with fish. At the same time, even dangerous beasts are not fearful, but are a symbol of friendship, peace and love.

– The artist mostly painted with gouache, which gives saturated and bright colors, making clear silhouettes decorative. She never mixed paint, using only pure color. It is surprising that she could paint with both hands; it was impossible to see the difference between what she painted with her left hand and what she painted with her right hand. Apart from painting, the master loved painting on ceramics and embroidery.

– Her endless thirst for creation and the need to share her discoveries, inevitable for her talent, were the main engines of creativity of M. Prymachenko.

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1909

1920

1935

1936

1937

1939 - 1940

1959 - 1965

1966

1970 - 1971

1986 - 1988

1994

1997

The birth of the artist

She was born on January 2 into a creative family in the Ukrainian village of Bolotnya in the Kyiv region. From childhood, Maria was surrounded by beautiful things: her grandmother was a master of Easter eggs painting; her father was a virtuoso carpenter who made not only wooden fences, but also amazing creatures; her mother reputed to be a notable embroiderer and taught Maria needlework, so that she wore her own embroidered clothes all her life. However, her childhood was clouded by a terrible diagnosis of “polio”. This did not allow her to go to school, made her lame; she became more serious, sometimes harsh.

The first artistic experiences

After she found blue clay, grazing geese on the shore, she started to paint her hut with it and soon received “orders” from admiring fellow villagers. These were the first artistic experiences of Maria in decorating and painting.

Maria was invited to the experimental workshops at the Museum of Arts in the capital

Talent and skills of Prymachenko were noticed by Kyiv artist Tatyana Flor, a master of art embroidery, who collected exhibits for the folk art exhibition. Thanks to her patronage, Maria was invited to the experimental workshops at the Museum of Arts in the capital (later – the School of Craftsmen). Here, for the first time, Maria depicted her own versions of embroidery and wall painting on cardboard and paper. Short training, and especially live communication with already experienced artists T. Pata, P. Vlasenko, N. Vovk, A. Sobachko-Shostak, was very important for Prymachenko.

Kiev Commission selected works of the artist for the republican exhibition of folk art

Kiev Commission selected works of the artist for the republican exhibition of folk art; they immediately provided her with a whole room. Naive and therefore particularly touching, bright and smile-inspiring works attracted the attention of the professional jury. It awarded an unknown artist the First Degree diploma. The exhibition was shown in Moscow, Leningrad, Warsaw and Montreal. Great success inspired her; Maria worked with great enthusiasm, creating the series “Swamp Beasts”.

Her works were exhibited at the First International exhibition in the capital of France

Her works were exhibited at the First International exhibition in the capital of France. Parisians and visitors from other countries – artists and critics, among which, there was Picasso, enthusiastically spoke about the amazing birds, fantasy animals, fantastic plants of the Ukrainian original artist. The jury did not remain indifferent either: Prymachenko received the “Gold Medal” and world recognition.

In Kiev, she met her true and mutual love

In Kiev, she met her true and mutual love. Lieutenant Vasily Marinchuk turned out to be her countryman. Happiness of young people was interrupted by the war: Vasily was called first to the Finnish war, then to the Soviet-German war. They did not have time to marry officially; Vasily never saw his son born in December 1941. Her grief was immensely unbearable. Maria embroidered a tablecloth with black roses, and stopped drawing for years. She returned to work in 1947, creating the famous “Blue bull”.

The artist became a member of the Union of Artists

The artist became a member of the Union of Artists; this opened up new possibilities. A publication that appeared in the “Kiev truth” returned the attention of critics and collectors to the works of the artist; popularity and “The Sign of Honor” (1960) waited for her; she managed to fulfill an old dream – with the help of regional government, a new brick house for the artist’s family was built. Her reaction to the flight of Gagarin was a series of paintings. She conceived the large cycle “For people’s happiness” (the author’s name – “Flowers is the Joy of Life”) and worked on a number of large paintings with symbolic and allegorical content.

She started working on illustrations for children's books

Created “Sunflower”, “Blue flowerpot with flowers”, “Pigeon on guelder rose”, “Peacock in flowers”, “Lion”, included in the series “For people’s happiness”. The author was awarded the title of laureate of the T. Shevchenko State Prize of Ukraine; she started working on illustrations for children’s books; the first – “Oh, grey horses” – was published in 1968.

Received the title of Honored Artist of Ukraine

Received the title of Honored Artist of Ukraine; was awarded “The Sign of Honor”; children’s books “Old woman grinding poppy”, “Crane”, “Stork taking a shower” with illustrations by M. A. Prymachenko were published.

Chernobyl series of paintings

Created an unusually emotional Chernobyl series of paintings. This theme was especially close to the artist, since her native village was located on the very border of the 30-kilometer zone. The cycle immediately became popular and was reprinted around the world. Maria was awarded the title of the People’s Artist of Ukraine.