Tribute to Alexander Shkuripat: An Exhibition in Memory of the Artist
The Odesa Municipal Museum of Personal Collections named after O.V. Bleschunov has organized an exhibition in memory of the renowned Odesa painter and graphic artist Alexander Shkuripat (1964—2008). This year marks the 60th anniversary of his birth. To honor this milestone, admirers of his work are planning a documentary film titled ‘Alexander Shkuripat. Revival’ and a memorial exhibition named ‘Revival’.
Alexander Shkuripat began painting at the age of ten while in a children’s boarding school in Kiliya. His first solo exhibition was held in the summer of 1991, making him the youngest exhibitor at the Odesa Art Museum. Odesa journalist and researcher Eduard Ratushnyak describes the themes of Shkuripat's works as ‘keen observations of the periphery’: ‘Even at his first solo exhibition, it was clear that these were observations of the hidden life of a small Ukrainian village, inviting viewers to smile, ponder, be surprised, cry, and even laugh.’
Notable events in the artist's career occurred in 1996 and 1997 during the first International Art Festivals ‘Classical Avant-garde and Contemporary Art of Ukraine’ in Kyiv, where Alexander represented his city alongside other Odesa masters. Over time, the potential of this professional artist was more than enough for both large and small group exhibitions. His works are 'remembered' by galleries in Lviv, Zurich, Kyiv, Odesa, Vienna, and other locations.
The exhibition ‘Revival’ at the Bleschunov House features paintings from the series ‘Odesa and its Surroundings’, ‘City of Fish’, ‘My Ukraine’, and ‘The Abduction of Europe’. There are also ‘home’ works left by the master for himself and his family, serving as reminders of the beginning of his artistic journey. These rarities will be viewed by the audience for the first time.
The organizers have conditionally divided the exhibition into four parts in the museum's communicative and exhibition space ‘Apartment No. 6’:
- the first hall ‘Student Life. Painting and Graphics. Exhibition Posters. Mid 80s – 90s of the 20th-21st century’;
- the second hall ‘Painting. 80s and 90s of the 20th century – early 21st century’;
- glass display ‘Albums. Photos. Catalogs. Newspapers. Manuscripts’;
- portfolio ‘Drawings, Engravings. Mid 80s’.
In addition to the works in the ‘Revival’ exhibition, the curators of the project possess over 60 works by Alexander Shkuripat.
The exhibition will run from October 3 to 27. The exhibition is open to visitors on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11 AM to 5 PM.