Oles Semernya was born on August 2 in the village of Nikolaevka, Berdyansk district, Zaporozhye region. His childhood passed near Mariupol. Together with his mother, Maria Andreevna Kasyan, who worked as a nurse in the German hospital during the occupation, and his younger brother, he was deported to Jezkazgan (Kazakhstan, Karaganda region, near Baikonur). He enjoyed painting from childhood.
1936 - 2012
Oles Semernya
description
A Ukrainian self-taught artist, one of the brightest original folk painters who worked in Ukraine and Moldova, a member of the Union of Ukrainian Folk Artists and the Moldavian Charitable Foundation of Ukrainian professional artists and folk masters Renastere-Renaissance. He was an author of more than 600 paintings exhibited at the National Art Museum of Ukraine, the Museum of Folk Art of Ukraine, the Museum of Popular Life and Architecture of Ukraine, etc. In the artist’s house in Sokiryany, a museum was founded; one of the streets is named after Semernya.
Key ideas:
– The world of amateur master Oles Semernya is a space of ancient customs, legends and myths, songs and fairy tales, as well as rural everyday life. The artist stated that they preserve all the magical treasures of the people and the nation.
– The life of Semernya’s characters is at the same time monumental, involved in Eternity and full of touching gullibility. His angels and shepherds, mothers and warriors, biblical Eve and mythological Europe live according to the harmonious and unshakable laws of the universe, preserving and protecting it. “I take plots for work from life,” said the master. “Why are the faces of my heroes often similar to mine? Because I am a part of the people.”
– Having his amazing style, rooted in folk painting, Oles Semernya depicts men with violins, with a Christmas star, shows their Cossack strong friendship and strength. Obese women resemble Paleolithic Venus – they protect the hearth and continue the human race. The image of the mother appears often and is especially touching.
– Oles’ paintings deep in their context and warm in feelings are painted in bright colors with a high degree of decorativeness. “Solar painting”, a characteristic noticed by experts, became the name of one of his exhibitions.
– Another feature is emphasized in the title of the exposition “Our Roots and Springs” (in Ukrainian: “Our roots and traditions”, 1992). In the talent of O. Semernya called a reclusive philosopher, material and spiritual bases are combined – this is a consequence of the genetic culture of his sensitive soul, inherited from the ancestors of the image of the Great Ukrainian Nature.
– In the visual sense, he can be called a creator of the national image and action. Thus, “Ringer” is a call for awakening and spiritual unity with each other and with Heaven. This is one of the main virtues of the Ukrainian national culture.
– One case described in the press tells about the value of his paintings: two Japanese families played the right to choose one of two pictures “Ukrainian Family” and “Oh, whose children we are,” that were exhibited in America. These paintings were not inferior to each other neither in genre nor in painting manner. “I write fairy tales for adults,” the master explained his ideas. Apart from their aesthetic value, these paintings also convey a certain educational idea of the author.
1936
1960
1970
1980
1990
1995 - 2000
2000
2010
2012
Oles Semernya was born
He decided to return to Ukraine
He decided to return to Ukraine, which he remembered well; settled down in the city of Voznesensk, Nikolaev region, got married and started painting constantly. He became a member of “Pribuzh’ye” – a regional creative association that held local collective and personal exhibitions of amateur artists.
His first exhibition was held
His first exhibition was held; the artist received the title “Master of Folk Art” (1977); not supported by his family members (including his wife doctor), he left civilization, led a wandering life for some time, until he found a refuge in the village of Krivaya Pustosh (Mykolaiv Oblast); later, having neither his own house nor his own workshop, he left Ukraine for some time, moving to Moldova.
The artist painted significant paintings
His rather long stay in Balti (Moldavia) became productive – the artist painted such significant paintings as “Old Town”, “Water carrier”, “Altar”, etc. He did not cut ties with Ukraine: his exhibition organized by art critic V. Malina was held in Nikolaev. His real fame came to him with the exhibitions at the Institute of Art, Folklore and Ethnography of the Academy of Sciences (1982) and at the halls of the Writers’ Union of Ukraine (1983). After that, there were exhibitions at the library of the medical institute (together with I. Marchuk and others), twice with the active support of P. Zagrebelny at the Institute of Semiconductors (1983 and 1986), at the gallery “Or” (its director was M. Volga), at the Museum of People’s Architecture and Life of Ukraine in 1988, when a film about the artist “The Enchanted Wheel of Life” was released.
“A-ba-ba-ha-la-ma-ha”
His large exhibition at the Kiev House of Trade Unions (1990) caused a wide positive resonance; a collective presentation was held under “Our roots and sources” (1992); he actively participated in the organization of “The Cultural and Art Center on Kostelnaya”; began cooperation with the gallery “Griffin”. Having got acquainted with I. Malkovich, he illustrated the books “Oh, you, Mark the Cat” and “A Candle from the Snow” for the publishing house “A-ba-ba-ha-la-ma-ha”. In the regional and central press, his articles “Your talent will lead you to Kiev” and “Journey to the ends of the earth” appeared.
After Harvard, the exhibition was held twice in New York
His essays “We were visited by a good guest” and “A holiday in the temple of the arts” were published; his paintings were selected for the International art-festival at the Kyiv Ukrainian house. Out of 52 foreign and domestic galleries, Semernya was awarded the “Grand Prix” for the exhibition “Griffin”, where his works were presented. At the invitation of Harvard University, the works of the artist (one of eight selected) were sent to an exhibition in the USA. Multicolored birds born in independent Ukraine flew to Harvard. After Harvard, the exhibition was held twice in New York (The Representation of Ukraine at the UN, the Ukrainian Institute of America), in Washington (the Embassy of Ukraine), Philadelphia (the Ukrainian Cultural Center).
Finally, after returning to Ukraine, he bought a house in Sokiryany
Finally, after returning to Ukraine, he bought a house in Sokiryany in Bukovyna and, along with it, a quiet and happy haven after the long restlessness. He collaborated with artists of Sokiryanshina, in particular, V. Yarova, took part in regional exhibitions, in the exhibition at the Chernivtsi Regional Art Museum (31 works created during the last 20 years (2007); a booklet-catalog was published); the Konstantin Brankusi exhibition center in Chisinau arranged a personal exhibition of the artist “The Ukrainian Palette of Moldova” (“Paleta Ucraineană a Moldovei”, 2009); there were many publications about the painter: two in the magazine “Ukrainian Culture” in 2003 (“I. Malkovich, Cossack Mamai of Ukrainian painting”, A. Brus “The Awe of the Soul”); in 2006 to the 70th anniversary of A. Yaremchuk” With pure praistokov ” in 2008 in the journal “Museum Lane”, a review by N. Petruseva “The Sokiryans in Bukovina: Oles Semernya”.
The exhibition of the artist was held on the Independence Day of Ukraine
V. Rocaciuc, a scientist of the Institute of Cultural Heritage of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, posted the article “Everyday in the paintings of Alexander Semernya” on the website of the Kamianets-Podilsky University (2011). In Chisinau, an exhibition of the artist was held on the Independence Day of Ukraine; his last lifetime exposition was held at the gallery “Griffin”.
The 75-year-old artist died
On the 6th of July, the 75-year-old artist died of cancer in the village Sokiryany in the Chernivtsi region of Ukraine. He was buried with honors there; above his grave, there is a cross, made according to the sketch of the painter.