“Sunny Hurzuf” among the colors of Ukraine

You can easily travel across various corners of your country by visiting the exhibit “Colors of Ukraine,” which displays the best paintings of Leonid Zaborovsky.

The Black Sea with ships, Ukrainian villages sinking in the garden blossom, and of course, Sedniv, loved by all the masters of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, are painted in a bright, life-asserting, rich manner, with broad and generous strokes of the brush of an experienced master. Landscape is the favorite painting genre of the artist, and he with pleasure turns to the heritage and best findings of impressionism and realism, depicting in his painting chronicle the surrounding world, materially convincing and fresh in terms of color combinations. Still lifes as well make a considerable part of the creative work of the Merited Artist of Ukraine Leonid Zaborovsky, but he presents us with the vast spaces of his country namely in his landscapes that are pure and genuine, as if painted in the open air, and full of air and sun.

Leonid was born in Oleksandrivka, Chernihiv oblast, where he absorbed the typical color and culture of this land. The academic knowledge and good practical school helped the artist to create his own vision of nature: today the paintings of Leonid Zaborovsky are stored in Sevastopol and Chernihiv museums; he often displays his works at nationwide exhibits, takes an active part in many open-air travels. The Manufaktura Gallery offers to the visitors to assess the works the author has painted over recent years during his travels across Ukraine.

Many of the pictures that are on display at the exhibit “Colors of Ukraine,” were painted el primo, in one pull, in canvases of medium seize with pure, non-mixed colors. Looking at them one by one, the visitor seems to observe the author’s chronicle.

A special place at the exhibit is taken by wonderfully expressive landscapes of Crimea. Apparently, Zaborovsky loves the Crimean colors: his triumphantly rich and optimistic picture Sunny Hurzuf wonderfully conveys the warm and soft southern climate, the subtleties of the smells of a bouquet of aromatic flowers, and the taste of the salty sea. The picture Hurzuf Evenings with famous rocks, boldly peeping from under the violent roar of the surf is a nostalgic excursion to the summer days that are behind, the resort music, and carefree rest. Today these pictures are especially close to us, because they present the audience with the calm world of the southern coast of the Black Sea which is so dear to us.

WHITE HOUSE

The marine theme is continued by Kherson Shores and Old Seiner, the romantic canvas Night is Falling, and the disturbing chords in the gloomy canvas Before the Thunder. The master does not seek ideal perfection: the freshness that preserves the life truth and ingenuousness of subtle human perception is much dearer to him than too strict realistic manner. Namely the open-air painting gives the artist such an opportunity: to catch in the current moment the very breath of life, stop the time, and prove the value of a brief impression.

HURZUF EVENINGS

The Ukrainian villages painted by Zaborovsky in the same author’s manner, are attractive due to their sincerity. And it is not accidental that looking at these pictures the visitor recalls Shevchenko’s lines about the cherry orchard. Not much has changed in the organics of the village life: there is no doubt that the society has changed the people, but nature and typical cozy atmosphere in a small well-attended garden near a village house remain the same, like a hundred years ago. This is something dear and familiar to every viewer who loves our province. A White House with pots put on the rods of the low fence, quickly harnessed Horse and a faraway house on a hill preserve that kind of Ukraine Leonid Zaborovsky knows well and loves. Our encounter with these canvases makes it possible to gather the entire complicated and many-color mosaics of the landscapes of various regions, united by the author under laconic title “Colors of Ukraine.”