13
January 2025

Painting in Ukraine and Russia 1860 – 1960: Tradition, Experiment, Repression

Welcome to The Arts Society South West London
Monday, January 13, 2025 - 20:00
The Community Church
Werter Road Putney SW15 2LL
Online Event

Ukraine, like Russia, was part of the USSR until 1991. This lecture seeks to distinguish between the art of the two states.

In the midst of its traumatic struggle, Ukraine is trying to protect its art and reclaim its heritage. But Russian and Ukrainian art were intermingled for 250 years. ‘Russification’ concealed the Ukrainian origins and identity of many artists, both under the Tsars and the Bolsheviks. This lecture maps a dynamic century with three consecutive revolutions in style, as Ukrainian and Russian painters experimented with social criticism, modernism, and Soviet conformity. It includes superb painters little known in the west as well as others who became key figures in modernism.

IMAGE: Courtesy of the lecturer.

Gabriel Chanan
Gabriel Chanan took up lecturing on art history in 2015, building on his lifelong interest in the arts during a career as a social researcher and policy analyst. He was the founding Chair of Windsor Community Arts Centre (now The Old Court). His study of the visual arts focuses mainly on realist painting, especially on points of transition between different periods and styles. Following publication of his book on Shakespeare and Democracy (2015) he also ran a small theatre company performing at arts centres and festivals till 2020. He was awarded an MBE for services to community development in 2009.