Page 7 - Michel Andreenko and Ukrainian Artists in Paris

(1906-1993) and Vasyl Diadyniuk of Arts before moving to Paris.
(1900-1944). Although the artists Others also arriving via Prague,
10
knew each other in Paris, little is although not represented in this
documented of those exchanges. UIMA exhibition, included Vasyl
Butovych’s experience there was Khmeliuk (1901-1986), in 1928, and
mixed. He sold a painting at the Mykola Krychevsky (1898-1961)
1928 Salon d’Automne entitled in 1929, also via Prague. Vasyl
Dance, and had worked on a series Perebyinis (1896-1966) had moved
of sketches of scenes of Paris, for in 1927, having studied briefly with
transfer to etchings. However, Krychevsky’s uncle Fedir at the
11
his expectations of the city Ukrainian Academy of Arts in Kyiv
were met with disappointment, in 1918. Ivan Babij (1896-after 1949)
primarily from lack of funds and moved to Paris in 1925 by way of
the realization that most artists Berlin, becoming a very successful
needed to take on commercial, portraitist, and three years earlier
art industry related jobs, even in 1922, Mane Mané-Katz (1894-
forging antiquities to make ends 1962), who became known for his
meet. Montparnasse was filled paintings of Jewish life. As more
12
with artists, some successfully Ukrainian artists appeared on the
selling work from street displays, Paris scene, a sense of needing to
yet for Butovych, the art itself organize an association offering
catered to what was fashionable, economic and cultural support
and generally lacked inherent grew among some of the artists. In
substance or soul. 13 1929, the Association of Ukrainian
Artists in Paris was established,
Throughout the 1920s, the number with Andreenko a board member.
of Ukrainian artists in Paris grew, of Activities were divided among
which we’ve seen some examples theater, cinema, plastic arts, music
above. Just as Moroz was taking and dance. Andreenko consulted
classes at various schools in Paris, for the theater section, however,
such as the Académie Julian, and the organization was short lived
the École Nationale Supériere and disbanded in 1931. A more
14
d”Arts et Métiers, Sophia Zarytska effective association emerged in
arrived with her artist husband, 1930, with its first exhibition in 1931,
Petro Omelchenko (1894-1952) as the Association of Independent
in 1928. They had met in Prague Ukrainian Artists (ANUM) in Lviv.
where they both studied at Many of the Parisian residents
the Ukrainian School of Plastic were members or participants
Art, and the Prague Academy in the exhibitions, which lasted

10 Metropolitan Archbishop Andriy Sheptytsky (1865-1944) was head of the Ukrainian Greek
Catholic Church from 1901-1944. In addition to his tenure there, he was an active and dedi-
cated supporter of Ukrainian cultural endeavors, including art.
11 Ibid, p. 64.
12 Mykola Butovych, ‘Monparnas,” Mystetstvo/L’Art, Vol. 1, (Spring 1932), p. 22.
13 Ibid, p. 21.
14 See Susak, pp. 178-179.