People’s Artist of Ukraine, honored artist and finalist of the highest state and at the same time creative award – Taras Shevchenko National Award – Vasyl Semeniuk presented his unique project, namely «Kobzar», illustrated in the avant-garde style, which has no analogues in the Ukrainian and the world Shevchenkiana.
The event took place on March 16. The organizers of the presentation were the Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies and the Lviv Polytechnic Prosvita Society.
«The Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies has a special attitude towards the Shevchenko days. We always try to especially celebrate these Kobzar days in March. This year, on the initiative of Prosvita Society, we decided to invite People’s Artist of Ukraine Vasyl Semeniuk with a presentation of his illustrated «Kobzar». Mr. Semeniuk was already a guest at our Institute with a speech about Taras Shevchenko and his biography. The artist illustrated the whole «Kobzar» and reached the finals of the Shevchenko Prize with this work», said Oleksandr Ivashchuk, Deputy Director for Scientific and Pedagogical Work, the Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies.
The artist began to comprehend Taras Shevchenko’s works when he was a student. He created colour compositions, graphics, linocuts and painting on glass. Vasyl Semeniuk does not reveal the techniques of his current works, he only names the materials: Finnish cardboard, Italian Karyl, German paint and Semeniuk’s hutsul hands.
Currently, the artist has created more than 1,000 works in the cycle of works «My Shevchenko», but only 200 of them were used to illustrate «Kobzar».
In his works, Vasyl Semeniuk boldly experiments with forms and freely uses traditional methods to create innovative designs, aiming to deeply immerse himself in Shevchenko’s work.
In the avant-garde illustrations of Kobzar, the emotionally expressive principle involves the inclusion in each composition of a quote from Shevchenko’s poetry, which is the essence of the prophet’s thoughts.
Each avant-garde illustration is made in black and white and has a positive and negative reverse, which are intertwined with Kobzar’s word, creating a single composition.
In general, this event was an informative digest about the work of Vasyl Semeniuk and his illustrated «Kobzar». This is a huge work, by the way, the first of its kind and in this style. It is really original, modern and will undoubtedly interest many people, including creative youth.
