The capital’s Cultural Heritage Museum hosted the Alphabet or the World’s Primer one-man show by the renowued Ukrainian painter Yuri Nikitin. The display emerges as the author’s deliberation of Hryhory Skovoroda’s philosophical and poetic legacy.
There were reflections on past aesthetics, fresh insight into biblical themes, and subtle fantasy worked into medieval subjects. The artist also broaches the epoch of the Slavic baroque rich in deep associations, emotions, and colors. Among the works on display, his ABC and Priesthood are interpretations of the Ukrainian philosopher’s discourses. The Vigilant Eye and Don’t Mourn Me, Mother! are illustrations for the parable, Cherubic Traveler. Nikitin turns to a popular medieval theme in his Orchard of Love, offering a new vision of the traditional eighteenth century portrait, bestowing his Portrait with new magical symbolism.
His images boast a striking diversity of techniques, ranging from classical three- layer skin to Punic encaustic.
The Museum of the History of Kyiv, of which the Cultural Heritage Museum is a branch, has featured Yuri Nikitin on more than one occasion. In 1991, his Magnifica Serata display jointly with sculptor Iryna Vinaikina was a spectacular success at the museum’s exhibition center on Andriyivsky uzviz. Since then his work has been highly valued in Ukraine and beyond its borders. He represented his country at the sixth Sacral Art Biennial in Gorzyw (Poland) and Zrinski 1999 International Art festival in Cakovci (Croatia). At present, he is also known as an icon painter and his works embellish churches in Ukraine, Russia, and Georgia. He is working on the interior of a Greek Catholic church under construction in Vyshhorod and has an icon-painting studio in Kyiv.
As a sign of gratitude, Yuri Nikitin presented the museum with his work, In Memoriam of Mariya Kapnist. He was fortunate enough to be among the friends of that brilliant actress and countess from a distinguished family that left a worthy trace in Ukrainian history.
