Spring is coming, 2008

Shapoval Ivan  

Place of Birth: September 10, 1939, Dniprodzerzhynsk, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine.

Education:

• Graduated from Dnipropetrovsk Art School (1967)
• Graduated from Kharkiv Art Industry Higher School (1973)

Field of Activity: Easel painting

Teachers: H. Cherniavskly, V. Konstantynopilsky, O. Martynets

Ivan Shapoval has been a member of the Ukrainian National Artists' Union "SinG" since 1988.

Personal Exhibitions:

Sumy (1972, 1980, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1995)

Participation in all-Ukrainian exhibitions:

• 1982 Always Ready. Kyiv
• 1983 International Art Exhibition. Sofia, Bulgaria
• 1983 Painting of Ukraine. Kyiv
• 1984 Land and People. Moscow. Sumy. Kharkiv
• 1984 Physical Culture and Sports. Kyiv
• 1984 60th Anniversary of the Red Banner Western Border District. Kyiv
• 1987 International Art Exhibition. Netherlands. Finland. Norway
• 1987 Always Ready. Kyiv
• 1987 Painting of Ukraine. Kyiv
• 1988 Watercolor Exhibition. Kyiv
• 1988 Soviet Land. Kyiv
• 1991 Artists of Ukraine. Zemle, Germany
• 1999 International Art Exhibition. Germany
• 2003 International Art Exhibition. Germany
• 2007 Picturesque Ukraine. Kyiv
• 2008 Artists of Sumy Region. Poltava Art Museum. Poltava
• 2008 Artistic Mosaic. Alexander Feldman Foundation. Kharkiv
• 2008 for the 70th Anniversary of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine. Kyiv
• 2009 On the Day of the Artist. Kyiv

Ivan Shapoval's works are held in private collections and museums, including:

• Ministry of Culture & UNAU Exhibitions
• Lebedyn Municipal Art Museum, Sumy Region Art Museum
• N. Onatskiy Art Museum, Sumy
• Hecosso Gallery in Japan

There is a world that shapes us, and there is another world - the world of the poetic soul of an artist, which is reproduced on their canvases. From the touch of a brush and colors, a painting is born - a landscape filled with the rustle of autumn leaves underfoot or the intoxicating spring green, sorrow or joy. Thus, the artist paints different compositions, subjects, and themes, but each painting represents their inner world, which we are destined to gaze upon throughout our lives.

Ivan Shapoval is an artist with a poetic vision and perception of the world. His philosophy revolves around the pursuit and depiction of beauty and harmony between humans and nature. Even in the urban space of rigid and straight lines and forms of the cityscape, the world of nature is incorporated. The artist's paintings are always associated with the seasons, and their alternation is palpable in his picturesque palette. In the wintry medley of city walls and roofs, the outlines of a church and bell tower resonate in a special way, stretching towards the boundless blue sky, like echoes of eternal existence.

In his paintings, we witness the passage of spring, followed by summer, and after autumn comes winter, adorned in snow. Winter, with its three-pronged snow, conceals all the flaws of the city and brings warmth and enchantment. Yet, it is always a reality that takes on different shades - be it wintery, spring-like, summery, or autumnal.

Unlike many artists, Ivan Shapoval adheres to his style, which was formed in the context of "severe realism" that gradually, starting from the late 1980s, acquires a noticeable lyrical and poetic hue.

In recent years, the artist, through vivid decorativeness, seeks to showcase not only the external beauty but also the profound meaning of nature's beauty. The combination of realism and decorativeness defines the creative style of the artist and the diverse themes of his works. However, landscape remains the main genre, and nature remains one of the artist's main sources of creative inspiration, where beauty exists as something absolute and eternal.

Ivan Shapoval's works are characterized by a subtle correlation of colors in landscapes. The artist successfully expresses the freshness of spring air, the translucent clouds melting in the sky. Lately, his images have acquired a stereo effect. The moods of nature are embodied with excessive vividness and a poetic spirit.

Ivan Shapoval dedicated almost 70 years of his life to painting. He showcased over 30 of his works in the art salon, mainly featuring landscapes of Sumy region. He chose them based on the principle of "where brighter and more beautiful," aiming to infuse his creations with soul. He captured beautiful landscapes and painted large canvases in his studios.

His landscape lyricism is more akin to the style of still life. His intriguing still life pieces truly impress.