Vyshnyk Oleksandr

Vyshnyk Oleksandr

Oleksandr Vyshnyk – a naive painter and folk artist.
Oleksandr was born and lived in Ostapie village, Velyka Bahachka district, Poltava oblast, and worked as a roofer. He painted for himself and his acquaintances, and did not sign his works. He also crafted violins, guitars and crosses. He had nine children.

Here is what Poltava researcher Kim Skalatskyi wrote about the painter: “…Oleksandr… has neither drawing skills, nor school, nor traditions, nor virtuosity. Everything is primitive, just discovered, childishly naïve, but how much individuality and independency in everything! Discovering the world was a revelation for him, rather than flamboyancy, which often marks the search of the artists in the early 20th century.
Vyshnyk fulfilled Picasso’s dream to break free of the captivity of academic painting, but Picasso’s result comes from his mind, and Vyshnyk’s result is internal, natural…”

He died in 1960.

The text is based on the materials of Rodovid Publishing House.