WHAT? Maria Prymachenko at Saatchi Gallery

WHERE? Saatchi Gallery, Ground Floor, Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Road, London SW3 4RY

WHEN? Now until 31st August.  Free to view. 

WHY GO? To honour tradition.  Ukrainian Prymachenko, who died in 1997, was so much more than an artist, she is a national cultural icon whose work was heroically rescued from the Local History Museum in Ivankiv when the Russians invaded in 2022, and who even has a street named after her in Ukraine. 

Her work is loved and appreciated for its folkloristic roots and has appeared on stamps and coins and as illustrations for books.  This is a rare opportunity to see a small selection, some 23 colourful works of art, that illustrate just why she has deserved such a special place in art history. 

Portraying naive but captivating images of rural village life, she, reminiscent of Frida Kahlo, endured illness as a child and applied herself to decorative art with great passion.

These artworks, from the family’s own collection, were originally conceived as illustrations for a children’s book and portray how her imagination allows us to fantasise about the simpler things in life.

IN THE KNOW There’s never been a more poignant time to appreciate Prymachenko’s contribution to art. The Prymachenko Family Foundation in Ukraine are hoping to eventually create a museum complex on the premises of the house she lived in and provide a residency for contemporary artists to draw inspiration from her legacy.  They live in hope of making this succeed.