The British-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce (BUCC) in cooperation with the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council and Yale, Harvard and Cambridge Clubs in Ukraine, is organizing a five-day event on the Ukrainian Impressionist artist Mykhailo Tkachenko, during the week of 30 October through 3 November, on 30 October in Lviv, 31 October – 1 November in Kyiv and 2-3 November in Kharkiv.

Professor James Rubin, one of the world’s leading experts on impressionism (who wrote the definitive book on Manet, published by Flammarion) will be speaking on Tkachenko at the receptions at the National Art Museum in Lviv and at the Hyatt Hotel in Kyiv, each of which will be followed by dinners with Professor Rubin.

Professor Rubin specialises generally in the history, theory and criticism of 19th century European art, especially French art, teaching courses at the graduate and undergraduate level. His interests are interdisciplinary, combining cultural history, politics and philosophy with art. He has published over 73 books, articles and essays, including 13 books on impressionism.

Tkachenko was an impressionist painter in Paris at the same time as Monet, Manet and Pizarro. In 1892, two of his paintings were given by the Russian Tsar to the French President, during the Tsar’s official visit to Paris, and the Figaro Newspaper, the leading newspaper in France then as now, described Tkachenko in its article on the Tsar’s visit as being one of the greatest impressionists. In the 1890s, Tkachenko twice had solo exhibitions at the Grand Palais (one of the great art exhibition halls in Paris), and won two gold medals for the best painting at important Paris exhibitions.

Sadly, after Tkachenko died in 1916 and was buried in Kharkiv, his native city, he was largely forgotten. French art historians wrote him out of art history after the Soviets overran Ukraine in 1921, and Soviet art historians also removed him for being appreciated by the Tsar. The BUCC wishes to restore Tkachenko’s reputation worldwide as one of the greatest impressionists, and to emphasize his roots in Ukraine.

Professor Rubin has agreed to assist with the production of an initial catalogue on Tkachenko. The BUCC is also cooperating with leading Ukrainian Auction House “Korners” to produce, with Professor Rubin and others, a second edition of their book on Tkachenko, this time in English as well as Ukrainian. These materials will be used for the major exhibitions on Tkachenko planned for Kyiv, London, Paris, New York, Chicago and Toronto.

Restoring the reputation internationally of Tkachenko should attract attention to the high quality of Ukrainian art generally.

Released by British-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce on 23 October 2017