Aprominent western art critic once remarked that to say something new -after a lot has already been said - about a painter's art is almost as difficult as to paint a new picture. Without attempting to achieve a success in such a challenging task, I will try to say a few words about Oleksandr Klymenko, a painter from Kyiv and about his art. Klymenko's paintings have begun to regularly appear at prestigious exhibitions, and to be regularly written about by authoritative art critics.

Oleksandr Klymenko, being only 37, can be considered rather young for an artist. "Young" here does not imply "a beginner," still less "a faceless one." Klymenko possesses an unlimited energy of a young person, there is maximalism in his art typical of the young, and he is driven by a desire to search for new ways of expressiveness.

The House of Happiness

Oleksandr Klymenko is a mature artist, his works stand out by their uncommon character, his art is characterized by its integral character. Klymenko, at first glance, does not produce an impression of "an established master" but his achievements in art do place him among the leading masters of painting of Ukrainian avant-guard art. Klymenko entered the world of art at a pivotal period in the history of his country when communism and its ideology were collapsing. New trends in art and new approaches developed, opinions clashed, and it was very hard to find one's way in art, one's own particular manner of looking at things and of expressing oneself in painting.

The Dawn of Good Fortune

In the early nineties Klymenko was one of the most strict adherents to the principles of the "underground" movement in Ukrainian art, and one of its most significant representatives. He was a member of a loose group of painters known as ParyzkaKomuna (Parisian Commune; it had nothing to do either with Paris or with a commune; it so happened that the group's studios were situated in ParyzkaKomuna Street in Kyiv). For Klymenko, it was a period of intensive search for truth, love and new ways of art.

The search led him to learning a lot about philosophy, history, world culture, art movements, trends and schools. It was the time when he developed his manner of painting: rather dispassionate, surrealistic, philosophic with mystical elements. In spite of being rather involved and complicated, his works were popular with art lovers and critics. His paintings were a challenge to the commonplace way of "representing reality" in painting, but his technique and manner were thoroughly based on the classical traditions. Also, in many of his works there was a mood of philosophiclal reflection and of loneliness, and as they corresponded to the mood of the times they were created in, they were easily sold. Klymenko soon realized that he had to leave behind his "period of moonlight painting" (as he described it himself), in order to move on in his artistic development. Klymenko, with his characteristic max-imalistic approach to things, stopped painting, stopped socializing and devoted himself to the study of Western philosophy.

The Light of Jerusalem

He went through a period of search for new ways in art. He sought inspiration in the Oriental arts and philosophy. Confucianism, Zen Buddhism and Daocism provided him with a different point of view on such philosophical categories as Good, Love and Truth. His works acquired a daring and bold quality that attracted an ever growing number of art lovers. His paintings were appreciated and sold in Germany, Switzerland, USA, France and Ukraine.

It is probably banal to say that a true artist never stops searching for something new, but applied to Klymenko this statement is particularly true.

Klymenko is never at a standstill, never satisfied with what has been achieved. From reflections and contemplation, from doubts and arguments emerge new approaches to what he feels his art should give to people: feeling of Good, of Joy, of Eternity.

Now it is not any longer "the moonlight painting" approach - it is the sun that rules in his paintings. The sun as a life giver, as a prime mover. Klymenko wants to give gentle and warm sunshine to people who are always in need of it. Klymenko's colors have become filled with radiance and vibrancy of the whole spectrum of sunlight.

By Evhen Shabotenko