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Dmytro Gorbachov, art historian

Ukrainian history is rich with outstanding individualities that are left aside in art history throughout time. Serhii Kononchuk (1912-1941), graphic artist, has created the great amount of art works during his short life.

At the age of 29 he was a genuine Master. When the young artist went to the Second World War, he had already created hundreds of engravings and pictures, illustrations for children books and European classic novels, bookplates and sketches for the first animation of Ukrainfilm.

Serhii Kononchuk has searched for his own style in graphics and book illustration art. Albrecht Durer, George Narbut, Volodymyr Favorskii, and the traditions of Kyiv graphic school of 1920-1930s were his guides in his searchings. His every art work is an organism saturated with “black blood of graphics” (words of Serhii Kononchuk).

Kononchuk has worked hungrily and inspiringly as though trying to keep up. He started painting as a child, then studied under the supervision of M. Rokytskyi (M. Boichuk’s student), K. Yeleva, H. Pustoviit, and K. Trokhymenko. George Narbut was his major influence in art.

The works of 15 year old Serhii were displayed in the first Kyiv exhibition of amateur performances. When he was 17 years old, Kononchuk was rewarded for his graphic works in the international exhibition in Paris. This occasion has opened the doors in the amazing world of graphics, and young Kononchuk has become the denominator of this world in the first half of the 20th century.

Serhii Kononchuk perished in captivity in the first months of World War II when he was only 29 years old. His fame has found him in 1980s with the opening of the first solo exhibition of the artist. His art works were preserved by his sister, Neonila Kononchuk.

National Art Museum of Ukraine presents the first solo exhibition of graphic artist and illustrator Serhii Kononchuk since 1990s. Visitors have an opportunity to observe over 60 art works from the collections of NAMU and family.