YEVHEN GULA’S PERSONAL EXHIBITION “ELEGY OF LIFE”

I WANT TO CHANGE EVERYTHING ON EARTH ...

I want to change everything on Earth –

Remove black spots,

Clear the palette of colors in the soul,

That is between us …

Yevhen Gula

Yevhen Gula, member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine. Painter, graphic artist, monumentalist, poet, an eyewitness of the unseen, teacher, and professor of the Department of Graphic Design of Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design.

In 1979, he graduated from Kyiv State Art Institute (now National Academy of Visual Arts and Architecture) / his teachers: I. O. Kovtoniuk, V. S. Boldyrev, V. G. Vyrodova-Gautier, V. I. Synhaivskyi/ Painter, graphic artist. Member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, professor of Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, head of the Department of Graphic Design, honored worker of education of Ukraine. Since 1980, he has been a participant in all-Ukrainian and foreign art exhibitions.

Yevhen Gula’s work spans a considerable period of time, crosses the boundaries of two centuries and reflects the context of Ukrainian art: the era of the underground and the era of independent Ukraine. For the early period, the realist dominant is indisputable, which does not limit itself to the object or its immediate form, but rather creates original laws of pictorial construction, in which strong expression, monumental clarity of images, a colorful palette of selected colors, syncretic imagery can be clearly traced. It is the last aspect that will later become the leading one in the author’s subsequent artistic directions. A good example of this is the works of the biblical cycle. Their imagery reflects the current world realities and demonstrates an interesting ecumenical approach to the perception of Abrahamic religions. A separate artistic study, in this context, are abstract works. They appear in the author’s work in the early periods, having a more conceptual character with elements of collage, and are later realized in a softer painterly manner. It is characterized by the smooth stylization of forms, cold tones, and individual surreal interspersions of figurative elements. At the same time, topics of a national nature are also being developed. These are large monumental works that embody archaic semiotics, such as, for example, solar symbols, introducing them into the syncretic context of the history of modern Ukraine with its chronology. These works are characterized by an expressive manner of execution, which is enhanced by perfect font compositions and, in fact, the monumental nature of the works. In general, Yevhen Gula’s artistic work is a vivid example of emotional reflection on categorical changes in Ukraine at the end of the 20th – beginning of the 21st century: the search for spiritual origins, a peculiar ecumenical view of Christianity, cultural syncretism, the expression of life-giving expressiveness, bright and pure colors, and the dominant emphasis of the text part. This makes it possible to determine a significant author’s contribution to Ukrainian modern art.

Personal exhibitions:

Kyiv – 1988, 1991, 1993, 2000,2001, 2003, 2006, 2010, 20013, 2015

Bila Tserkva – 1994

Wilinsafen, Everi / Germany/ – 1998

Munich / Germany/ – 2000

Koszalin / Poland/ – 1999, 2002, 2005

Słupsk / Poland/ – 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013

The artist’s works are kept in state and private collections in Ukraine, Poland, Germany, France, Belarus, the USA, and China.

Publications: “Artists of Ukraine”, creative - biographical album - directory (1 Issue - 2001, 4 Issue - 2006, 5 Issue - 2008); “Album of Oil Paintings by Artists of Ukraine”, Heilongjiang Art District, China, 2001 - Magazines: “Fine Art” (1998, No. 1), “Ukrainian Culture” (1993, No. 5, 6), “Ukraine” (1993, No. 6), “Rural Horizons” (1991, No. 3); study guide for the course “Plastic anatomy” (KNUTD, 2007), study guide for the course “Fundamentals of composition” (KNUTD, 2012); monograph “Plastic anatomy - the basis of drawing” in Ukrainian and English, 335 ch., 2013. Group exhibition at the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine – 2015, 2016. Participant in the creative plein air “Art Expeditions”. Report exhibition of creative works in the city of Uzhhorod, Museum named after Y.Bokshay, 2014.

Gallery

Триптих «Алфавіт істини» п., о., 2017-18