Maximum return of Veniamin Zaslavsky
Life to live is not a field to go, says a folk saying. Today we will talk about the artist, who in the heyday of creative forces celebrates his 85th birthday. Veniamin Fishelevich Zaslavsky was born in the pre-war years, more precisely on May 1, 1936…. His fate, as well as that of the entire Ukrainian people, was marked by the tragic events of the Great Patriotic War, famine, and difficult times in the development of socialist society.
He felt an attraction to art from childhood when in 1946 he began to study in the art studio of the Kiev House of Pioneers. He passed the path of art science in art school, remembers the mentors who influenced the very beginning of his work. V. Zaslavsky served in the army, and after demobilization he entered the Kyiv State Art Institute. Thus, Veniamin Fishelevich managed to absorb the academic art school from the already famous artists I. Shtilman, M. Glushchenko, B. Kostetsky. He remembers with gratitude teachers V. Zabashta, B. Pianida, M. Popov, P. Basants, S. Poderviansky, his skill grew alongside him. The above-mentioned artists entered the golden treasury of Ukrainian art with their works. And we can only thank fate for their role in the creative development of V. Zaslavsky.
We see the result in a retrospective exhibition opened at the KONSHU Gallery "Artist", which was dedicated to the 85th anniversary of the artist's birth. Several separate locations were formed in the gallery, which demonstrated the versatility of the jubilee's talent, one of which featured the works of his daughter Tetyana Zaslavska. Her works in various techniques speak of the original talent of the artist, who knows how to fill her paintings with oxygen and space, be it watercolors or batik. The color scheme is balanced and filled with a purely feminine lyrical mood. It is nice to note that the creative dynasty of the Zaslavsky family confidently took its place in the history of Ukrainian art.
O. Masyk attracted me to the work of V. Zaslavsky. He talked a lot about their meetings in the open air in New York Park, where Veniamin Fishelevych came from Ukraine. So I began to follow the work of this prolific painter with an extraordinary biography. The works he presented at thematic exhibitions of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine have always been separated from others by a generous palette of paints, successful compositions, and sincerity. The paintings were remembered and became a part not only of my life, but also of many fans of Zaslavsky’s painting.
Since 1968, Zaslavsky has participated in national and foreign exhibitions, visited many different countries, including Poland, Georgia, Slovakia, Israel. Thus, he not only positioned Ukrainian art abroad but also enriched his creative arsenal with new impressions.
In the creative biography of V. Zaslavsky more than ten solo exhibitions, for fifteen years he was a senior lecturer at the Ukrainian Academy of Arts, became a member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, a member of the National Union of Theater Actors of Ukraine. Veniamin Fishelewicz is an honored cultural figure of Poland, he has numerous honorary diplomas and letters of thanks. Distinctions.
V. Zaslavsky is by nature a traveler with a philosophical color. It is easy to climb and travels thousands of kilometers to achieve its creative goal. "Art requires a full commitment from the artist. That's why I work every day and set myself tasks, Veniamin Fishelevich said in the conversation. And the exhibition dedicated to the anniversary of the artist showed that such efficiency multiplied by the natural gift of the artist brings fruitful results. It is appropriate to name a series of paintings "Historical Kiev" filled with a special magic of high spirits. His works from abroad are remembered with a unique series of streets of old Jerusalem, the Wailing Wall, the exotic sea coast.
Veniamin Fishelevych managed to absorb the best of his favorite teachers: the philosophical reflections of the unique D. Leader, the purity of the palette from the aristocrat of the spirit I. Stilman, the genre of V. Kostecki, the efficiency of the tireless V. Zabashta. And creative trips abroad enriched his idea of the original culture of other nations. All this multiplied by incredible efficiency fills the works of the jubilee with high culture, deep intelligence, love for the world around.
And every time since 1967, when V. Zaslavsky began to take part in the cultural and artistic life of the capital and to this day, the artist has something to surprise fans of his talent. Congratulating Veniamin Zaslavsky on the anniversary exhibition, we wish you further creative inspiration and good health. I am sure that the artist will surprise us with his new original sagas from life.
Valentyna Yefremova is an art critic, Honored Worker of Culture of Ukraine. Photo by the author and the gallery "Artist".