The Odesa Municipal Museum of Private Collections named after O.V. Bleschunov has organized an exhibition in memory of the prominent painter and graphic artist Alexander Yosypovych Shkuripat (1964—2008). This year marks what would have been the artist's 60th birthday. To celebrate this anniversary, his admirers are planning to produce a documentary film titled “Alexander Shkuripat. Revival” and a memorial exhibition of paintings and graphics called “Revival”.
Alexander Shkuripat began his painting journey at the age of ten in a children's boarding school in Kiliya, Odesa region. His first solo exhibition took place in the summer of 1991, where he was the youngest participant at the Odesa Art Museum. Odesa journalist and researcher of the artist's work, Eduard Ratushnyak, describes the themes of Shkuripat's works as “a keen observation of the hidden life of a small Ukrainian village,” which evokes a range of emotions from smiles to tears.
Significant events in the artist's career occurred in 1996 and 1997 when he participated in the first International Art Festivals “Classical Avant-garde and Contemporary Art of Ukraine” in Kyiv, representing his city alongside other Odesa masters. Over time, his artistic potential was more than enough for both large and small collective exhibitions, with galleries in Lviv, Zurich, Kyiv, Odesa, Vienna, and others “remembering” his works.
The “Revival” exhibition at Bleschunov House features paintings from the series “Odesa and Its Surroundings,” “City of Fish,” “My Ukraine,” and “The Abduction of Europe.” Additionally, there are “home” works left by the artist for himself and his family as reminders of his creative beginnings. These rare pieces will be displayed to the public for the first time.
The organizers have conditionally divided the exhibition into four parts within the museum's communicative-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, 90s of the 20th – early 21st century”;
- glass stand “Albums. Photos. Catalogs. Newspapers. Manuscripts”;
- portfolio “Drawings, Engravings. Mid 80s”.
In addition to the works featured in the “Revival” exhibition, the curators have over 60 works by Alexander Shkuripat.
The exhibition will run from October 3 to October 27. The exhibition days for visitors are Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11 AM to 5 PM.