Scenes from Tanach

A new art gallery has been opened by the notable Kyiv-based art specialist Oleksii Tytarenko and gallery owner Sandro Mudzhyri. Both of these men are art connoisseurs and well known in artistic circles. Tytarenko is the head of the Experts’ Council of Art Galleries in Ukraine and the editor in chief of the specialized magazine Halereia (Gallery), founded in 1999. Mudzhyri is the owner of galleries in Yerevan and Atlanta, which are united under one name-Hobby.

The two men are close friends and see eye to eye about art. In the last year I don’t think I saw them apart even once. Neither their partnership nor their common interest- modern art-is surprising. Both of them have an excellent knowledge of this subject.

I have a special attitude to names, which I believe influence the lives of their bearers. The new gallery on Andriivsky uzviz is called White, but don’t look for some hidden meaning. The gallery was once a painter’s studio called Bilyi Lev (White Lion). The new owners thought the name was a bit pretentious, but they didn’t feel they had the right to rename it. So they did the next logical thing: they simply removed the second word and ended up with White-a simple but tasteful name. At least I like it, because white is a beautiful color.

It is ambiguous but full of nuances-just like the exhibit of Matthew Weisberg’s paintings, which opened on June 26, 2007. Its background is very symbolic. When Matthew was studying in the White City-Jerusalem-one day, as he was sitting at a lecture on Judaic studies, he looked out of the window and saw that the landscape had not changed in 2,000 years. He found Old Testament illustrations made by Hans Holbein in 1530 and adopted them as the basis for a series of contemplative paintings called Scenes from Tanach or, in other words, Old Testament Scenes.

None of the paintings in this series are titled. With his characteristic tact and subtlety, Matthew explained that he wants everyone who looks at them to discover their own associations. On June 27 many well-known painters, journalists, gallery-goers, and foreign guests tried to do precisely that. One of the visitors was Zina Kalay-Kleitman, Israel’s Ambassador to Ukraine, who stopped by with some friends. This was also symbolic, as is Matthew’s unique resemblance to Hans Holbein.

Among the works unveiled on opening day was a display of Svitlana Karunska’s exquisite sculptures-bodiless angels cast in bronze.

I said I was hoping that Tytarenko and Mudzhyri would surprise Kyivites with something extraordinary. They’ve already surprised me: they are planning a show for September with the promising title of “Food.” It will feature works by painters working in a variety of genres and trends devoted to the bountiful feast. In a cozy courtyard next to the gallery shish kebab and wine will be served, just like in Niko Pirosmani’s paintings, an epicurean feast in reality and on canvas.