The cycle “For the joy of people” contains 22 works that are distinguished by their bright palette and philosophical thoughts.
An exhibition of Maria Prymachenko’s works is presented in the halls of the National Museum of Ukrainian Folk Decorative Art. This was reported by the deputy head of the KMDA Anna Starostenkowho visited the exhibition.
Visitors have the opportunity to see 22 works from the cycle “People for joy”, presented in 1966 at the Union of Artists of Ukraine. For him, the artist was awarded the title of laureate of the State Prize named after T. G. Shevchenko (now — the National Prize of Ukraine named after Taras Shevchenko).
Among the works are “Glory of Ukraine” (1965), “Home Poppies” (1965), “Guests at the Lion” (1963), “Bears in the Apiary” (1965), “Viburnous Shores” ( 1966) and others. In these artistic works, the artist’s rich inner world, her folk wisdom appear before us not only through the plot and innovations of compositional solutions, but also through the philosophical saturation and sunny-bright palette of her works, which has a great power of emotional impact.
“I make sunny flowers, because I love people, I make them for people’s happiness, so that my flowers are like the life of the people, so that all peoples love each other, so that people live as flowers bloom all over the earth,” said the artist.
In the works of Maria Prymachenko, the living elements of folk art, song folklore, and legends of the Polish region were imprinted. She created her own artistic style with recognizable decorative, ornamental, genre and landscape compositions with flowers, birds and animals.
The creative path of Maria Prymachenko began in 1935 in Kyiv at the School of Masters of Folk Art and at the Central Experimental Workshops, which were organized for the preparation of the First Ukrainian Exhibition of Folk Art in 1936.
While working in the workshops, the young craftswoman immediately announced herself as an artist with a special worldview, which has no analogues either in Ukrainian or world art. Already from her first works of the mid-1930s, the amazing “Prymachenko” world of animals, fantastic creatures, birds and flowers appears before us.
With the beginning of the 1960s, a new stage began in the life and art of Maria Oksentiivna. It was a period not only of creative discoveries and innovations, but also of an active creative life. In her native village, the craftswoman organized a small children’s art studio. In 1960, the Union of Artists of Ukraine delegated her to the Congress of Artists of the USSR in Moscow. In the same year, Maria Primachenko was awarded the “Badge of Honor” order.
The craftswoman devoted more than sixty years to her favorite work – painting, leaving a great artistic heritage – more than 2,000 works. The collection of the National Museum of Ukrainian Folk Decorative Art houses one of the largest parts of Maria Prymachenko’s creative output — 650 works from 1935–1987.
When: until May 31, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Monday, Tuesday — weekend)
Where: National Museum of Ukrainian Folk Decorative Art, Lavrska Street, 9
Ticket price: UAH 50, for children UAH 20.
In September 2022, the rescued paintings of Maria Primachenko were shown for the first time in the center of Kyiv. When an enemy missile hit the Ivankiv Museum of History and Local Lore, all 14 of the artist’s works were pulled out of the fire.
The mutilated museum building can be seen from all sides in 3D tours.
The German community supported the Ivankiv settlement community by donating a painting by the Erlangen artist Friedrich Liner and art materials for the Maria Prymachenko Children’s School of Art, which is located near the destroyed museum.
Maria Kataeva
