Page 5 - Michel Andreenko and Ukrainian Artists in Paris

art. In 1925, he participated in in 1925, after graduating from
the “Exhibition of 33 Russian the Berlin Academy of Art a year
Artists” at Café de La Rotonde, earlier. A Soviet citizen, he worked
which included paintings and as “chief artist for trade and
sculptures by Hlushchenko, industrial exhibitions mounted by
Natalia Goncharova, Mikhail the Soviet Union abroad,”
6
Larionov, and Sergei Charchoune and advocated for socialist aims
(1888-1975) among others. in Paris. He hosted numerous
Charchoune, a noted Russian
Dada poet as well as a
painter, would become
one of Andreenko’s
closest friends. In 1926,
Andreenko sent work
to the International
Theater Exhibition in New
York, and the following
year, through the
organizational efforts
of Mykola Hlushchenko,
participated in the “All-
Ukrainian Exhibition for
the 10th Anniversary of
the October Revolution,”
in Kharkiv-Kyiv-Odessa.
Liuboslav Hutsaliuk, Untitled (Abstract)
(1952), Oil on canvas, 21.5 x 28.75”, Gift of
Opportunities of course, Mr. Bohdan Kowalsky
presented themselves at different
times for different artists. Alexis gatherings at his studio which
Gritchenko, about eleven years included artists and dignitaries,
older than Andreenko and as well as many Russian and
established before World War Ukrainian emigres. His networking
I, had arrived in 1921 and by 1923 skills and organizational aptitude
had sold 14 works through his benefitted Ukrainian artists in
new gallery dealer to millionaire sending their work to Lviv for
Albert C. Barnes, a chemist the major 1931 exhibition at the
who had come to Paris on an newly formed Association of
art buying spree for his new Independent Ukrainian Artists
museum, the Barnes Foundation, or ANUM in addition to others.
in Merion, Pennsylvania. However, his placement in Paris
Gritchenko continued to have a worked to his advantage as a
number of solo exhibitions as did Soviet agent, a position he held
Hlushchenko, who had arrived through his residency there until

6 Susak, p. 122.