Oleksandr Bohomazov. Creative Laboratory

3 June – 25 July 2021

Oleksandr Bohomazov. Levelling saws. 1927. National Art Museum of Ukraine

 

Radvila Palace Museum of Art is open with an exhibition of international importance Oleksandr Bohomazov. Creative Laboratory, presenting previously unseen works by the distinguished artist of Ukrainian avant-garde, art theorist, and educator Olaksandr Bohomazov (1880–1930).

 

Captivating from the very first glance with sophisticated artistry and a powerful artistic temperament the works by O. Bohomazov hold a special place in Ukrainian art history and offer an opportunity to reflect on the artist’s place in the world-wide avant-garde movement. The curator of the exhibition Olena Kashuba-Volvach shares that ‘The exhibition Oleksandr Bohomazov: Creative Laboratory invites the viewer to plunge into the depths of the artist’s creative process. Numerous sketches and studies presented along with his paintings offer an opportunity to see how pictorial ideas are born “at the tip of the pencil” and turn into consummate artistic images.’

 

According to LNMA director Dr. Arūnas Gelūnas, this exhibition, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Ukrainian independence, is of particular importance: ‘The unprecedented act of patronage by Vladimir Tarasov, a world-famous jazz percussionist and contemporary artist, who passed on his unique collection of Soviet era non-conformist art to the Lithuanian National Museum of Art was, without doubt, also a gift of fate. Following this generous effort, soon we were able to unveil the highly successful exhibition Protest Art: The Rebels of the Soviet Era at the Radvila Palace. Among numerous publications gifted by V. Tarasov, mostly associated with the non-conformists of the Soviet era from between the 1960’s and 1980’s , I have only found two articles that discussed pre-war avant-garde artists in Russia who had a strong influence on Moscow conceptualists and other members of the unofficial art scene. The first piece was of course on Casimir Malevich and the second one on Oleksandr Bohomazov! Whether by fate or coincidence, the work of this Teacher will be very close to that of his students, in a hall next door to Protest Art, which itself was at least partly inspired by the work of the “rebellious cubofuturist” Oleksandr Bohomazov. It is evident, that the rebelliousness and defiance (toward totalitarian oppression, censorship etc.) is gradually becoming one of the main narratives connecting most of the art presented at the Radvila Palace.’

 

Never before have the artist’s creative impulses been visualized in the exhibition space. Revived by the restorers, the cycle’s main picture Sawyers, which had been kept in a closed special archive in a ruined state for almost 90 years, is once again available to the viewers at this exhibition.

 

The exhibition of Oleksandr Bohomazov’s works is also followed by exhibits presenting two prominent artists of Ukrainian avant-garde Alexandra Exter (1882–1949) and Oleksandr Archipenko (1887–1964) from the collections of National Art Museum of Ukraine. Starting their artistic path in Kiev, these artists are currently renowned world-wide. Today their exhibits unveil the rebellious avant-garde spirit so characteristic of the turn of the 20th century.

 

 

The exhibition presents works from the collections of the National Art Museum of Ukraine and the Mystetskyi Arsenal National Art and Culture Museum Complex, where Oleksandr Bohemazov’s creative heritage is being kept.

 

 

 

The exhibition is held under the patronage of:

 

The First Lady of the Republic of Lithuania Diana Nausėdienė and the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska

Minister of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania Simonas Kairys

Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkačenka

 

 

Project leader Dr. Arūnas Gelūnas

Exhibition curators: Olena Kashuba-Volvach, Skaistis Mikulionis

Coordinator Justina Augustytė

Architects: Oleksandr Burlaka, Jurgis Dagelis

Designer Lina Bastienė

 

 

Organisers:

                                                                                                                                                                                                        

 

Partners:

                                                      

 

The project is financed by

 

General sponsor

 

 

Main sponsor

 

Founder Honorary Consul of the Republic of Lithuania in Luhansk Region Robertas Gabulas

 

Sponsors:

                                                                                        

 

Media sponsors:

                            

 

 

Current safety regulations require the visitors to wear face masks and maintaining social distance of at least 2 m.

In order to avoid large crowds, the possibility to register your visit in advance is available via phone. The tickets are also available for purchase online.

Radvila Palace Museum of Art,
24 Vilniaus st, LT-01402, Vilnius, Lithuania
+370 5 250 5824