Welcome to the brand new Arthive! Discover a full list of new features here.

Kateryna
Vasylivna Bilokur

Ukraine • 1900−1961

Biography and information

Bilokur Kateryna Vasylivna: (Ukr. Katerina Vasilivna Bilokur, 7 December (25 November old style), 1900, s. Bogdanovka Piryatinske County Poltava province — June 10, 1961, s. Bogdanovka Yahotyn district, Kyiv region). Ukrainian artist self-taught, brilliant representative of the "naive" painting.

Features the creative work of artist Catherine Bilokur Vasilevny: Kateryna Bilokur is the original author, having not only artistic, but even school education. However, it is among the hundred best artists of Ukraine, has received numerous awards and recognition of the Picasso. Her work can be attributed to the direction of "naive art": it is soaked in folk art and folklore. Her work is original, full of childish sincerity, admiration, peace and excellence. His painting Kateryna Bilokur devoted to flowers, as a symbol of happiness and beauty — the two vertices to which the artist sought all his life. She also turned to portraits and landscapes, but she also admitted that they get it worse.

Known paintings by the artist Catherine Bilokur Vasilevny: "Flowers on blue background", "Watermelon, carrots, flowers","Portrait Of Hope Bilokur", "Happiness. The storks brought baby".

The manifestation of the talent of Kateryna Bilokur


Bilokur Kateryna Vasylivna was born in 1900 in a peasant family. The exact day of her birth is unknown and date of birth is considered to be December 7 — day of St. Catherine: at the beginning of the last century it was still customary to name children according to the calendar. The girl was surrounded by peasant life, and no one had planned to give it to learn. But she early learned to read, and later began to draw on pieces of fabric improvised "rural" means: a charcoal from the stove, feathers from the chicken coop, thin branches of trees from the garden and colors, created from what is at hand across. The first real pencil she begged the brother.

Fascination with Catherine's drawing did not lead to the delight of parents who refused the girl even in school education. "Well, father and grandfather consulted – why, say, Kate to school to send, when she learns that will not tear no boots, no retinue, and she is a little on the spindle will spin and literacy learn. Here's my school"- remember Bilokur. For the first time my parents saw her drawings stuck on the walls with a bread crumb when their son was asked to draw a horse. And my sister was so fascinated that he drew almost the entire book the boy, for which he received wholly from the father: the parents thought drawing a useless idea and forbade her daughter to spend time with him. And yet creative nature of Catherine unfolded, a talent developed. Nikita long-legged relative of the family, creates in the native village folk theatre. For him, it makes the scenery also plays a role in the performances. This magnificent outlet has been unable to compensate for all the hardships of life a talented girl. She was not like everyone else, and ridicule were not uncommon. Despite the bright appearance and the presence of suitors, Katherine was never married. Each of the Cavaliers put unacceptable to her condition: roll "TSE malowana". But his own talent was more important than the views of the villagers and Patriarchal stereotypes.

When an attempt is torture


At 22, Catherine is sent to Mirgorod, in the hope to do what was laying her soul from infancy. But Mirgorodskaya College of art ceramics did not accept the girl who came with only two figures: a copy of the painting and the sketch of the old house. But the most valid reason for refusal was the absence of a document on school education. The artist returned home with nothing.

Her fellow villagers-teachers, a couple surnamed Kalita, organized a drama club, in which Catherine participated actively. It was Ivan Kalita, who was considered a local artist, first appreciated the talent Bilokur. Despite the fact that Catherine was already an adult, parents still had influence on it: being unmarried, she lived with them. Parents have given permission for a girl to participate in productions, but only if it will be able to carry out all the household duties.

Another attempt to obtain an artistic education Kateryna Bilokur taken in 1928. Kiev theatrical College denies the artist for the same reason, and Mirgorod — the lack of the necessary "seven". A desperate situation, pressure from parents, inability to be creative and to do what you really want - all this makes the girl desperate. In November 1934 she tries to drown herself in the river Chumak. Katherine survived, but was badly chilled feet, and it affected her health in the future: the artist had to endure considerable suffering. After the terrible act of his daughter, the parents finally allowed her to devote herself to painting. However, having "good" for painting, Catherine had to continue to work in the field and at home. Many tears were shed over the bright work.

Bilokur flowers from Bogdanovka to Paris


The artist wrote flowers with amazing childish and naive zeal, paying attention to every petal, the tiniest details. She never plucked flowers, making bouquets, to put them in a vase and draw, as do most artists. Catherine drew only flowers — they may look on the paintings so fresh and joyful, because in them is real life. Winter mistress continued to do what he likes, portraying flowers and plants from memory. A big challenge was the technical aspect of the hobby, because no one taught a simple peasant Prime the canvas properly diluted paint.

39-year-old, no longer young by the standards of those years, Catherine Bilokur was known as a strange woman. But in this age will come to her glory, which the woman did not even think. Once heard on the radio touching, and now a very famous Ukrainian song "Chi I'm not LUs Kalina Bula" Oksana Petrusenko, the painter was so startled that he wrote the singer a letter, in which put a drawing of rose, drawn on the piece of cloth. It made an impression on Petrusenko and she showed the work of familiar artists. Those, in turn, intrigued by the author, sketch artist Vladimir Chitikathe head of the artistic-methodological Council of the regional House of folk art, in Bogdanovka to Catherine Bilokur. Her work was selected for personal exhibitions.

In Poltava, in the House of folk art was represented only 11 paintings of the rural self-taught artist. But audiences and critics appreciated the naive beauty and purity of the works of Bilokur. She was invited to Moscow, where she went accompanied by Vladimir Chitika. Visiting the Tretyakov gallery and Pushkin Museum. Pushkin's mistress first saw the artwork of the great masters: until then, its the only "teacher" was nature.

Since 1944, Catherine lucky. Her native village is visited by the Director of the Museum of Ukrainian decorative folk art and buy paintings of the artist. Due to this event in the present, the Museum has the largest collection of works of Bilokur.

Kateryna Bilokur became a member of the Union of artists of Ukraine, honored artists of the USSR, she was awarded the order of badge of honor, participates in many exhibitions in Moscow and Kiev. In 1954 Pablo Picassoat the International exhibition in Paris saw the work Bilokur and was delighted with the work of the artist from a distant Ukrainian village. He said "If we had an artist of this skill level, we would be forced to talk about the whole world!". Famous replica. The less you know about what is presented at the exhibition in the carriage back in the USSR was kidnapped and still not found. About the artist now knows is not the whole world, but connoisseurs of her art and truly appreciate and respect the incredibly strong woman that nurtured their talent in such difficult conditions.

When the fame does not bring happiness: the last years of Catherine Bilokur


In addition to artistic activities, there is a remarkable line masters of relationships with artists and art historians, representatives of Ukrainian intelligentsia, with whom she corresponded. The thought of Katerina Bilokur, on paper, admired by his contemporaries, confident not only in her talent of the painter, but in his writing gift.

Despite fame, a good pension and an interesting experience, Catherine until the end of his days remained to live in their old farmhouse. After the death of his father in the hut returned the brother with his wife and children. Daughter-in-law disliked the artist, family conflict resumed.

The bright colors of her paintings was hiding her mother's illness, problems with family, almost motionless legs and sharp pain in the stomach. The artist was not able to move to a city apartment with amenities. Her mother died in 94, and literally in the same week, has died the artist. It happened June 10, 1961, after the operation in Yahotyn district hospital. Catherine was buried in his native Bogdanovka, and the picture was abandoned in the attic. Some works used as a stand for slop buckets.

Surviving works Bilokur was in an art gallery Yahotyn state historical Museum. Many of them are in terrible condition, not only because of storage in the attic, but due to improper preparation of canvas and paints. Still, the artist was self-taught.

And in 1977, in Bohdanivka was opened memorial Museum of Kateryna Bilokur, and near the house, a monument, whose author — the nephew of the artist.

Author: Lyudmila Lebedeva