Maria Prymachenko: The Ukrainian designer and her work
This month, we pay tribute to the life and work of celebrated and beloved Ukrainian folk artist, Maria Prymachenko. Sadly, 25 of her artworks were recently destroyed when the Ivankik museum, 50 miles northwest of Ukraine, was burned down as a result of the ongoing conflict.
Her work, in the naive Ukrainian folk style, depicts both zoological and fantastical creatures in riotous colours which adorn equally vivid backgrounds. After seeing Prymachenko’s work at the 1937 Paris World Fair, Pablo Picasso proclaimed “I bow down before the artistic miracle of this brilliant Ukrainian.”
Despite being known for producing bright and colourful pictures, her earlier work has darker undertones and was created during a time of widespread famine in Ukraine, which took place under Stalin’s dictatorship. During the Second World War, Prymachenko worked on a farm and stopped creating art. She suffered great personal tragedy as her brother and partner were both killed fighting the Nazis.
In the 1960s, the style of Prymachenko’s work evolved, becoming more vibrant and she started working with gouache, rather than watercolours. This appealed to those looking to connect with their Ukrainian identities and she amassed quite a following.
One of the most renowned Ukrainian artists and possibly the most beloved, her significance to the country’s culture and history cannot be understated. In 1966, she was awarded the Shevchenko National Prize, Ukraine’s highest cultural honour, in recognition of her enormous contribution to art. Her work has featured on Ukrainian postage stamps and her image has appeared on its coinage. A street in Kyiv was even named Prymachenko Boulevard in her honour.
In a recent interview with The Times, Anastasiia Prymachenko, Prymachenko’s great-granddaughter and Director of the Maria Prymachenko Family Foundation said, “Maria Prymachenko has been a symbol of Ukraine for many years,” she says. “Her work reflects the most horrible events in our history and at the same time, she gives us hope for our brilliant future. Her paintings are timeless and more relevant today than ever before. Through her art our Ukrainian voice is strong.”
One of her most famous works ‘A Dove Has Spread Her Wings And Asks For Peace’ depicts the bird synonymous with peace against a riotously colourful backdrop adorned with vibrant floral motifs. Whilst 25 of her masterpieces have sadly been lost forever and her other works in Ukraine are also under threat, her legacy endures and her work has become an international symbol of the call for peace.
