The Artwork and Achievements of Ukrainian Folk Artist, Maria Prymachenko

I am absolutely delighted to share the work of Ukrainian painter Maria Prymachenko with you. You may have heard of Prymachenko recently due to the burning of the Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum in Ukraine where 25 of her paintings were lost. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is horrific and inhumane, and the destruction of art is senseless. I am ashamed to admit that I did not know about Prymachenko until the museum burning and wish I was introduced to her work under better circumstances. Alas, I know about her now, and so do you! This post is going to be image-heavy because there is so much good stuff to absorb. Let’s get started with a short introduction:

• Maria was accomplished painter in Naïve Art style, also known as Primitive Art. This style is characterized by simple artwork of a childlike nature, often created by artists with little formal art education.¹
• Afflicted by Polio as a child, Prymachenko was influenced by the physical affects of her illness and hardship. Maria couldn’t labour in the fields with her family and started painting instead. She only attended four years of school and was a peasant, and forced laborer, her entire life.²

• Maria worked at the Ivankiv Cooperative Embroidery Association and her paintings feature embroidery techniques and marks. This tradition was passed down from her mother and Prymachenko was influenced by traditional ornamentation, shapes, two-dimensional figures, and bright colors of Ukrainian folk art.³
• Prymachenko’s paintings were inspired by nature, animals, and folk life in the Ukrainian countryside. Many of the creatures and florals are fictional, inspired by folktales. Although the beasts have wide eyes, sharp teeth, talons, and multiple heads and legs, they are friendly, uninhibited, and approachable.⁴
• Prymachenko lived in the small village of Bolotnya her entire life and was inspired by the simple life, people, and environment.³

Once, as a young girl, I was tending a gaggle of geese. When I got with them to a sandy beach, on the bank of the river, after crossing a field dotted with wild flowers, I began to draw real and imaginary flowers with a stick on the sand… Later, I decided to paint the walls of my house using natural pigments. After that I’ve never stopped drawing and painting.

– Maria Prymachenko

• WWII took a toll on Prymachenko’s life and art, and you might notice many of her famous paintings were created later in life, when she was no longer working on a collective farm, raising her son alone, or struggling with money. Her later works are more colorful due to having access to richer paints.
• Prymachenko responded to world events, such as the Chernobyl disaster, in her art and took a strong stance against war, having lived through the horror of WWII and the deaths of her partner and brother.

Prymachenko’s floral bouquets are so happy and joyful. They are wonderfully powerful and feminine.

You can still appreciate Prymachenko’s paintings if you prefer neutral color palates. She made a handful of artwork featuring earth tones, such as these two beauties.

My personal favorite paintings show people going about their daily lives. Simple, seemingly insignificant actions are worth documenting and celebrating. Even though Prymachenko experienced many hardships in her life, her art remained vibrant and full of life.

The names given to Prymachenko’s paintings are art themselves. Considered a poet as well as a painter, Prymachenko reflected on the content of her work and wrote humorous, lighthearted, and relatable explanations. The titles of the next three paintings are my absolute favorites.

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Sources

¹ NAÏVE ART
² Inclusion, Equity and Access for Individuals with Disabilities: Insights from Educators Around the World
³ Maria Prymachenko’s fantastic world of flowers and animals
⁴ Maria Primachenko

Unless otherwise stated, images were sourced from WikiArt. I highly recommend visiting this site and looking through all 119 images of Prymachenko’s artwork.