Ukrainian artist opens abstract exhibit at the ArtsCenter

On Friday evening, visitors filled the halls of the ArtsCenter in Carrboro to experience the colorful, abstract works of Ukrainian artist Anatolii Tarasiuk. This opening reception for the solo exhibition allowed visitors to engage with the art and artist, as Tarasiuk walked around the gallery and talked with guests. 

Tarasiuk began his artistic journey in 1995 as a self-taught artist. In 2022, he moved with his family from Kiev, Ukraine to the Triangle, where he now creates and shares his work. 

At 11-years-old, Tarasiuk became a pantomime actor before transitioning to painting at 15. 

His first visual artworks focused on natural scenery. When creating one of these works, he included abstract elements and discovered that he loved abstract art. 

“It was like, oh my god, this is so surreal,” Tarasiuk said. “And since that day, the rest of it was just abstract artworks.”

Tarasiuk uses different techniques for each of his paintings, so each art piece is unique. Some of Tarasiuk’s techniques include palette knife motions, brushwork and etching to create patterns. He also uses a variety of colors, with works like “Jacob’s Ladder” boasting brilliant shades of purple and others like “The Burning Bush” displaying hues of yellow and orange.

According to Tarasiuk, some paintings can come together from start to finish in just 15 minutes, while others can take up to a few years. He said that he originally did not like leaving a piece incomplete after one session, but some of his works need more time and require techniques like tinting — painting over with a darker color and wiping off certain areas after the paint dries — that have a lengthy process.

During the opening reception, Tarasiuk spoke to visitors as they made their way through his collection. He engaged with guests, pointing out unique techniques, patterns, color schemes and processes involved in each of his works.

“I admire abstract art I think more than representational art, and so I think it's bold to believe that you can do something on that scale and do it well and put it on the wall,” Susan Olson, a visitor at the exhibit, said. “I think it takes confidence to do that, so I admire his choices.” 

Alongside his solo exhibition, volunteers from the Ukrainian Association of North Carolina sold Ukrainian handcrafts at the reception, with the proceeds going toward Tarasiuk’s family. The volunteers sold a variety of prints, jewelry, accessories, postcards and paintings, telling visitors about each item and their fundraising efforts.

“We try to gather. We try to use all the events, we have many invitations for some markets, and we try to be everywhere, to present our culture, our work,” Olga, a Ukrainian Association of North Carolina volunteer, said. Olga declined to give her last name because she still has relatives living in Ukraine.

Olga also said that due to the tragedy of the war, the organization focuses on humanitarian support for the people in Ukraine who do not have electricity, gas and other necessities. 

Tarasiuk said that art can touch hearts, opening doors for healing. He added that it has been a healing force in his own life. He was diagnosed with cancer the day before he and his family came to the United States and has undergone four surgeries and chemotherapy in his fight against the disease.

“I believe there's a lot of healing in this art,” Tarasiuk said.

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