What do talented 20th-century artists like Kazimir Malevich, Andy Warhol, William Kurelek, Louise Nevelson and Peter Hujar have in common? They all have Ukrainian roots! Though many were born far from their ethnic homeland, they stayed proud Ukrainians at heart. Each artist contributed to the world of art in their unique way, so read on to discover how!
Louise Nevelson
Kyiv-born artist Louise Nevelson sought to translate the dynamics of the external world into her work. Her masterfully crafted wooden sculptures, created in the style of abstract expressionism, earned widespread recognition and popularity from the mid-1950s onward.
Louise gained widespread recognition in the US as the first female artist for her public art, particularly when New York City opened Louise Nevelson Plaza in 1987 – the first public space in the city named after any artist! Nevelson traveled extensively across North and South America as well as Europe, advancing women’s artistic freedom and presence in the art world.
As one of the most recognized artists of the 20th century, she has inspired especially female artists not to be hesitant to make monumental sculptures in back-then male-dominated industry. As she once said, “No one could move me till I got what I wanted – on my terms, on earth… And the hardship gave me total freedom. ”
Kazimir Malevich
While Nevelson’s work reflected the personal resilience she carved out for herself, other Ukrainian-born artists shaped entire artistic movements. Among them, one of the most influential figures was Kazimir Malevich, a pioneer of the avant-garde and one of the founders of Cubo-Futurism. For a long time, most of the art audience regarded Malevich as russian by origin, and he was presented as such in numerous art venues.
In recent years, however, many museums have reviewed and reclassified him as Ukrainian.
Malevich was brought up in a Ukrainian-Polish Catholic family in Kyiv and spent most of his youth there. Central to his legacy is the Black Square, a work that continues to ignite debate over its true worth. He also used his art as a potent tool to shed more light on pressing issues within the conservative socio-cultural environment of his time.
Peter Hujar
Although born outside Ukraine, Peter Hujar was brought up in a Ukrainian-speaking household in New Jersey. His heritage was never a secret, and he navigated multiple identities shaped by the challenges of an immigrant upbringing. Despite these obstacles, Hujar nurtured his talent and his photographs vividly captured New York’s queer and avant-garde art scenes of the 1980s.
Sadly, his work gained its greatest recognition only after his passing, but his ambitions and the messages behind his art remain deeply valued among lovers of the avant-garde.
William Kurelek
William Kurelek, a highly regarded Canadian painter, was deeply influenced by his upbringing in a large family of Ukrainian immigrants. Seeking to broaden his cultural horizons, he extensively traveled around the world, including several trips to his ethnic homeland of Ukraine. These journeys inspired one of his notable works, The Ukrainian Pioneer (1971, 1976).
Left: Kurelek in Canada. Right: Illustration from William Kurelek’s A Northern Nativity. Photo: Comment.
William Kurelek is also well-known for his work as an illustrator of children’s books.
Andy Warhol
There are many debates about the true origin of this artist. Coming from a family of Carpatho-Rusyns, this ethnic group historically inhabited different territories that are now part of Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine. Therefore, declaring Andy Warhol’s country of origin largely depends on one’s historical perspective.
While Warhol was not outspoken about his Eastern European origins and instead identified as an American, he exemplifies how integral the immigrant narrative is to the fabric of the 20th-century American art scene.
When it comes to his artistic legacy, Warhol pioneered a new art movement known as Pop Art. Pop Art introduced new trends in marketing, commercialism, and popularized the technique of screen printing. Some of Warhol’s most iconic works include his series of Campbell’s Soup Cans and his portrayals of the legendary Marilyn Monroe.
His work has inspired thousands of people to embrace creativity and to express themselves in anti-traditional ways. As Andy Warhol himself once said: “Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”