Andrei Prychodko
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Biography
Andrei Prychodko (variant spellings: “Andrij,” & “Andrii,” Prychodko) ukrainian: Андрій Миколайович Приходько born 1951, in Toronto, is a Swiss-Canadian artist of the Ukrainian diaspora.
His extended Ukrainian family were imprisoned in the russians' Gulag and or tortured to death for standing for ukrainian language and identity in the face of russian cultural genocide against Ukrainians. His father, was a survivor of the russians' two Holodomor genocides, their Gulag as well as Nazi imprisonment...
The Encyclopedia of Ukraine refers to Prychodko's unusual use of color, symbolist signs, unorthodox techniques and the paradox of spontaneity and control in his work.[i]
In its multiple layers of meaning, his art has been compared to the writing of Jorge Luis Borges.[ii] and Switzerland’s Neue Zürcher Zeitung says it issues from, “borderless cultural and historical cross-references.”[iii] Toronto’s Globe and Mail evokes, “a relentless microscope turned on the artist- but by himself.”[iv]
His painting has been called “archaic ciphers”,[v] “a language entirely its own,”[vi] “enigmatic, facetious,”[vii] “childlike, poetic and grotesque”[viii] and dubbed, “chromatic gesture colliding with Byzantine tradition.” [ix]
France’s l’Oeil speaks of “a joust of dramatic ideas with figurative means and between the artist and his own compositions.” [x]According to Die Weltwoche, Prychodko, “stage-directs elaborate, enigmatic, facetious, yet invariably aesthetic mise-en scenes…”[xi]
Writing repeatedly on Prychodko in the Tages Anzeiger, the Swiss critic Fritz Billeter evokes “the most diverse cultures, times and levels of consciousness flowing together” and cites him as “highly talented.” [xii]. The Tages Anzeiger has used the terms, "unbelievable power of invention," and "works of breathtaking beauty"
Prychodko has exhibited internationally- in Toronto, Rome, Paris, Zürich, Geneva, New York, as well as three times at ART Basel [xiii] etc. His work has been exhibited on a long term permanent basis together with modern masters at Renata Peschiera's Galeria Studio Erre, in Rome, at Paul Facchetti's residence/Gallery on Ave Friedland in Paris, at Galerie Nathan in Zürich as well as at Galerie Weber in Geneva and at Art Basel.
In 1993, Prychodko’s art was chosen by the Ministers of Culture of Ukraine and France to be the vector of re-establishing cultural relations through the visual arts between two major nations: post-Soviet Ukraine and France.[xiv] Ukraine’s Minister of Culture, Ivan Dziuba, writing to France's Minister of Culture, Jacques Toubon,[xv] wrote of Prychodko’s art, in relation to "the Ukrainian- not "russian" avant-garde of Malevich, Archipenko, Tatlin, Alexandra Exter, Sonia Delaunay Terk et al…" and "issuing from an intercultural exchange such as Ukraine would like to redevelop with the West.” [xvi]
Cumulatively, from 1980 through 2007, he was represented (almost exclusively by appointment only) by two historically influential galleries: Studio Paul Facchetti, Paris and Galerie Nathan, Zürich.
Prychodko is the last artist to be discovered by Paul Facchetti, known for his role in bringing into the canon such previously little known artists as Jackson Pollock, (for whom he put on the first gallery show in Europe, Dubuffet, Fautrier, Sam Francis, Henri Michaux, Wols, Riopelle, Mathieu, Capogrossi, Hundertwasser et al. Together with Vollard, Kahnweiler, Maeght et al, Facchetti was honored in 2020 by the MNAM at the Pompidou Center as one of the 20 most significant galerists of the 20th century [xxxiv]. Prychodko was introduced to Paul Facchetti by the Galerie Beyeler of Basel in 1979.
Subsequently, Prychodko was also represented by Peter Nathan of the Galerie Nathan of Zürich, which was instrumental in building the Oskar Reinhart and Bührle Museum collections. Besides placing old and modern masters to museums, Peter Nathan had furthered Chaissac, Estève, Lapicque, Poliakoff and de Stäel. Prychodko exhibited there under the patronage of the Canadian ambassador. Peter Nathan wrote of Prychodko as among masters and one of his eight most important exhibitors together with Chaissac, Estève, Lapicque, Lobo, Meistermann, De Staël and Felix Valloton
The Prychodko monograph, published by Peter Nathan,[xvii] is archived in over 40 world institutions, including the Louvre / Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, [xviii] Museum of Modern Art of France / Centre Georges Pompidou,[xix] Metropolitan Museum of Art,[xx] & Museum of Modern Art, New York,[xxi] J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, [xxii] Victoria & Albert Museum, London,[xxiii] Tate Gallery, London,[xxiv] Albright Knox Gallery Buffalo,[xxv], National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa,[xxvi] Detroit Institute of Arts,[xxvii] etc.
Education
Prychodko followed self-directed non-curricular studies at the New School of Art in Toronto, (where faculty were established Candian artists Dennis Burton, Gordon Rayner, Robert Markle et al), at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux Arts in Paris, where he was accepted in the highest category, and at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence. By special permissions Prychodko copied master drawings at Il Gabinetto dei Disegni of the Uffizzi in Florence and studied anatomy pertinent to drawing in the dissection rooms of the Faculties of Medicine of the University of Toronto, Université de Paris VII and at La Specola in Florence.
In 2011, following the discourse by Margit Rowell, Prychodko gave the memorial eulogy for Paul Facchetti at St. Eustache in Paris. He was assisted in preparing his message by Germain Viatte, director of the Museum of Modern Art of France, and by Daniel Abadie, director of the Jeu de Paume in Paris. [xxviii]
Since 1971 Andrei Prychodko has been based in Europe, In Tuscany, Rome, Switzerland... including 22 years in Paris. Having lived and worked on four continents, he is fluent in six languages.
Since 1978 he is married with the Swiss artist Amanda Bayard. They currently reside at Crans-Montana in the Swiss Alps.
Awards
Prychodko is the recipient of awards from the
Ontario Arts Council, Toronto
Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation, Montreal
Academy of Fine Arts, Athens, studio grant on Hydra
Videos of Prychodko’s paintings are among popular videos at the youtube
the Beyeler Foundation, Basel,[xxix]
the Moderna Museet, Stockholm[xxx]
the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo[xxxi]
the Kunsthaus Zürich [xxxii] etc.
Exhibitions
Cumulatively from 1976 through 2007 Andrei Prychodko was represented by two gallerists of historical significance, Paul Facchetti of Paris and Peter Nathan of Zürich, as well as previously by the noted gallerist Renata Avenali of Studio Erre, Rome, which showed modern & European masters such as Severini, Magnelli, Manzù, Marino Marini,
In group shows and on a permanent basis by appointment only, Prychodko’s work has been exhibited together with works by: Alechinsky, Appel, Balla, Calder Capogrossi, Calder, Cesar, Chagall, Chaissac, Dalì, De Pisis, De Staël, DiChirico, Dorazio, Dubuffet, Estève, Max Ernst, Fautrier, Fontana, Sam Francis, Guttuso, Hartung, Hockney, Hundertwasser, Allen Jones, Jorn, Kemeny, Lapicque, Lindström, Lobo, Magnelli, Manzù, Marino Marini, Mathieu, Matta, Meistermann, Mirò, Moore, Michaux, Pirandello, Poliakoff, Pomodoro, Picasso, Riopelle, Severini, Sima, Sironi, Sutherland, Tapiès, Turcato, Villon, Felix Valloton, Wols, et al.”
Paul Facchetti
In 2021 the Museum of Modern Art of France honored Paul Facchetti, together with Vollard, Kahnweiler, Rosenberg et al, as one of the 20 most influential gallerists of the 20th century. Prychodko is the last artist to be discovered by Paul Facchetti, known for his role in discovering and bringing into the canon such previously little known artists as Jackson Pollock, Dubuffet, Fautrier, Sam Francis, Henri Michaux, Wols, Riopelle, Mathieu, Capogrossi, Sima, Kemeny, Appel, Hundertwasser et al. Prychodko was introduced to Paul Facchetti by the Galerie Beyeler of Basel in 1979. Facchetti showed Prychodko's work on a permanent basis by appointment only at his gallery/residence on Ave Friedland in Paris. Prychodko's work was acquired by Paul's collectors such as Seymour H. Knox II.
Peter Nathan
Subsequently, Prychodko was represented by Peter Nathan of the four-generation Galerie Nathan of Zürich, instrumental in building the Oskar Reinhart and Bührle Museum collections. Besides dealing old and modern masters to museums, Peter Nathan furthered the little known Chaissac, Estève, Lapicque, Lobo and de Stäel. Prychodko exhibited there under the patronage of the Canadian ambassador. Peter Nathan wrote of Prychodko as among his eight most important exhibitors together with Chaissac, Estève, Lapicque, Lobo, Meistermann, De Staël and Felix Valloton.
Renata Avenali
Previously, Prychodko was represented by the Roman gallerist Renata Peschiera- Avenali of Rome whose Galleria Studio Erre represented modern masters such as Afro, Appel, Balla, Calder, Capogrossi, Cesar, Corneille, de Chirico, Dorazio, Fontana, Hartung, Greco, Allen Jones, Mirò, Manzù, Moore, Marino Marini, Pomodoro, Picasso, Severini, turcato et al. Renata Peschiera put on two personal exhibits of Prychodko and included him in group shows. 1976- 1980.
Selected solo exhibitions
2003
-Von Graffenried Private Bank, Brig, Switzerland
1994-1996
projected retrospectives
-State Museum of Fine Arts of Ukraine, Kyiv (Kiev) Ukraine
-Museum of Fine Arts, Lviv ( Lemberg), Ukraine
-Museum of Fine Arts, Odesa, Ukraine
In 1993, Prychodko’s art was chosen to be the vector of re-establishing cultural relations through the visual arts between two nations: post-Soviet Ukraine and France. Ukraine’s Minister of Culture, Ivan Dziuba, writing to France's Minister of Culture, Jacques Toubon, called Prychodko’s art, “A contemporary bridge from the Ukrainian avant-garde of Malevich, Archipenko, Larionov, Sonia Delaunay Terk et al…" and "issuing from an intercultural exchange such as Ukraine would like to redevelop with the West.”
The project was furthered by two successive French Ministers of Culture: Jacques Toubon and Philippe Douste-Blazy. Germain Viatte & Werner Spies, Pompidou directors, Daniel Abadie director of the Jeu de Paume and Thomas Krens of MoMA were involved in this initiative. The project was too advanced for its time. Russian cultural -genocidal influence was still pervasive in Ukraine and the West. The project was too avant-garde, too far ahead of its time. Today, in 2023, Ukraine has emerged from russian blackout into Western awareness and the project would undoubtably been realized. Due to successive regime changes, the project was not brought to term.
1987
-Galerie Nathan, Zürich, Switzerland
1984
-Galerie Paul Facchetti, Zürich, Switzerland
1982
-Crédit Suisse global headquarters, Paradeplatz, Zürich,
1980
-Galerie Paul Facchetti, Zürich, Switzerland
1978
-Galleria Studio Erre, Rome
1976
-Galleria Studio Erre, Rome
1974
-University of Toronto, Great Hall, Hart House (with the New Chamber Orchestra of Canada)
-Ontario Institute For Studies in Education, Toronto
Selected group exhibitions
2017
-Villa Arconati, World Art Foundation, Bollate, Milan
“Presenza- a Discourse Among the Past, Present and Future”
1980 – 2007
represented permanently by appointment only by Paul Facchetti, (Studio Paul Facchetti), Spiegelgasse, Zürich & Ave Friedland, Paris, together with Agosti, Appel, Beauford-Delaney, Bryen, Capogrossi, Dubuffet, Fassianos, Fautrier, Sam Francis, Kemeny, Mathieu, Henri Michaux, Riopelle, Hundertwasser, Sima, Wols, et al.
2000- 1987
represented permanently by appointment only by Peter Nathan, Galerie Nathan, Arosastrasse, Zürich, Switzerland. Peter Nathan wrote of Prychodko as among his eight most most important exhibitors together with Chaissac, Estève, Lapicque, Lobo, Meistermann, De Staël and Felix Valloton..
1998
-43rd Salon de Montrouge, Paris
1986
-“Le Genie de la Bastille,” Paris group exhibition organized by the French National Center for Visual Arts and the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs of Paris,
-The Wexler Gallery, New York
1985
-Canadian Cultural Center, Paris
“Presence de la Peinture Canadienne”
1983
-ART, Basel
with Galerie Weber, Geneva, Switzerland „Alechinsky, Chillida, Folon, Jorn, Masson, Mirò, Picasso, Prychodko, Tapiès, Tobey,Van Velde, “
1982
- ART Basel
with Galerie Weber, Geneva, Switzerland,
”Bayard, Bellmer, Calder, Chagall, Max Ernst, Marino Marini, Matta, Picasso, Prychodko, Saura, Zao –Wou-Ki”
- Galerie Paul Facchetti, Zürich, Switzerland
„Présentation d’une Selection d’Oeuvres: Agosti, Amanda Bayard, Dubuffet, Fassianos, Hundertwasser, Georges Noël, Lataster, Prychodko, Vajda
- Galerie Weber, Geneva, Switzerland, group show: Alechinsky, Appel, Amanda Bayard, Bellmer, Max Bill, Calder, Chillida, Dubuffet, Max Ernst, Sam Francis, Giacommetti, Jorn, Le Corbusier, Man Ray, Matta, Prychodko, Rosenquist, Soulages, Zao Wou-Ki,
1981
-ART Basel
with Galerie Weber, Geneva, Switzerland, group show “Appel, Amanda Bayard, Calder, Christo, Clavé, Delvaux, Dubuffet, Max Ernst, Folon, Giacometti, Matta Mirò, Moore, Music, Picasso, Prychodko, Rosenquist, Saura, Soulages, Tobey, Bram Van Velde”
-Cordier Ekstrom Gallery, New York
-Galerie Paul Facchetti, Zürich, Switzerland
- Galleria del Naviglio, Milan (work on consignment)
- Galerie Weber, Geneva, Switzerland
group show “Appel, Amanda Bayard, Calder, Christo, Clavé, Delvaux, Dubuffet, Max Ernst, Folon, Giacometti, Matta Mirò, Moore, Music, Picasso, Prychodko, Rosenquist, Saura, Soulages, Tobey, Bram Van Velde”
1980- 1976
Represented permanently by appointment only by Renata Peschiera- Avenali of Galleria Studio Erre, Via San Giacomo 22 & Via Dei Greci, 43, Rome
Studio Erre dealt with Modern Italian and European masters such as Afro, Appel, Balla, Calder, Capogrossi, Cesar, Corneille, de Chirico, Dorazio, Fontana, Hartung, Greco, Allen Jones, Mirò, Manzù, Moore, Marino Marini, Pomodoro, Picasso, Severini, turcato
1980
- Galleria Studio Erre, Arte Moderna di Renata Peschiera- Avenali Rome, Italy“Opere di: Afro, Alechinsky, Appel, Davie, Guttuso, Lindstrom, Lucebert, Magnelli, Pirandello, Prychodko, Severini,”
-Galleria Studio Erre, Arte Moderna Rome, Italy
“Olii, Tempere, Sculture di Appel, Capogrossi, DiChirico, Fontana, Hartung, Guttuso, Allen Jones, Mirò, Manzù, Moore, Marino Marini, Pomodoro, Picasso, Prychodko, Severini, Sutherland,”
1979
-Galleria Fontanella Borghese, Rome, Italy
-Galleria Studio Erre, Rome, Italy
“Olii e Tempere, Strutture, Sculture di : Afro, Appel, Balla, Cesar, Corneille, de Chirico, Dorazio, Fontana, Hartung, Greco, Allen Jones, Manzù, Moore, Marino Marini, Pomodoro, Picasso, Prychodko, Severini, Sutherland”
1978
-Galleria Studio Erre, Rome, Italy
Mostra di Afro, Alechinsky, Alan Davie, Dorazio, Gentilini, Lindström, Pirandello, Prychodko, Rooskens, Turcato,
1977
-Galleria Studio Erre, Rome, Italy
“Mostra Mercato: Allen Jones, Attardi, Bitran, Balla, Cesar, De Pisis, Dorazio, Hartung, Hockney, Matta, Monachesi, Pomodoro, Pirandello, Prychodko, Severini, Sironi”
-Galleria Studio Erre, Rome, Italy
Appel, Capogrossi, DiChirico, Fontana, Hartung, Guttuso, Allen Jones, Mirò, Manzù, Moore, Marino Marini, Pomodoro, Picasso, Prychodko, Severini, Sutherland,”
1976
-Galleria Studio Erre, Rome
“Mostra Mercato:” Appel, Capogrossi, DiChirico, Fontana, Hartung, Guttuso, Allen Jones, Mirò, Manzù, Moore, Marino Marini, Pomodoro, Picasso, Prychodko, Severini, Sutherland,”
-The Independent Gallery, Toronto, Canada
1974
-The Scollard Gallery, Toronto, Canada
1969
-The Collector’s Cabinet, Toronto, Canada
Monographs
1987
Nathan, Peter, Affentranger, Angelika, text, exhibition monograph, “Prychodko” Galerie Nathan, Zürich, ISBN 3-906133-01-X, 44 pages Galerie Nathan, Zürich, Switzerland,
This mongraph is archived in many world museums such as the Louvre, Paris Metropolitan Museum of Art & Museum of Modern Art, NewYork, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, Tate Gallery, London, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Detroit Institute of Art, USA, Ludwig Museum, Cologne, Museum of Applied and Contemporary Art, Vienna, Yale University, USA, etc.
1974
Prychodko, Andrew, “Innocence, Discipline, Synthesis: Les Préludes” Exhibition monograph, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, The Coach House Press, 24 pages, Toronto, Canada, April 1974
Institutions
The Prychodko monograph, published by Peter Nathan, Galerie Nathan, Zürich
ISBN 3-906133-01-X is archived in over 40 world institutions including:
The Louvre /Museé des Arts Decoratives, Paris
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Museum of Modern Art of France /Centre Pompidou, Paris
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Tate Gallery, London
J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
Documenta Archive, Kassel, Germany
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, Italy
Albright Knox Gallery, Buffalo, USA
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA
Boston Museum of Fine Arts, USA
Dallas Museum of Fine Art, USA
Detroit Institute of Art, USA,
Cleveland Museum of Art, USA
Turin Civic Museums, Italy
Harald Szeemann Collection, Los Angeles USA
Art and exhibition hall of the Federal Republic of Germany, Bonn
German National Library, Leipzig
Ludwig Museum, Cologne
Museum of Applied and Contemporary Art, Vienna
Museum of the Belvedere, Vienna
Library of the Belvedere, Vienna
The National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo
Yale University, New Haven, USA
Princeton University, Princeton, N.J., USA
Max Planck Institute for Art History, Rome
Bibliotheca Hertziana, Rome
German Art Historical Institute, Florence, Italy
German Center for Art History, Paris
Central Institute of Art History of Germany, Munich
State & University Library, Dresden, Germany
National Institute of Art History, Paris,
New York Art Resources Consortium, New York
Institute of Art Sciences, Zurich, Switzerland
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Lille Métropole Museum of Modern, Contemporary and Outsider Art, France
Hulda Zumsteg Collection, (Kronenhalle) Zürich, Switzerland
Cantonal Museum of Fine Art, Sion, Switzerland
Canadian Museum of Contemporary Phototgraphy, Ottawa, Canada
Deutsche Fotothek, Germany
etc.
References
[i]Struk, Danylo Husar, Editor, Encyclopedia of Ukraine, Encyclopedia of Ukraine, University of Toronto Press Incorporated 1993, Toronto, Buffalo, London ISBN 0-8020-3994-4, Volume III pp. 752 & Volume IV pp. 257 & 258
[ii] Anonymous, “Archaic Ciphers” Zürich News, Wochenbulletin, 31 March, 1984, pp. 11.
[iii] Anonymous“ Prychodko, Galerie Nathan,“ Neue Zürcher Zeitung, March 12, 1987, pp42
[iv]Kritzweiser, Kay, “Creative Bridge Links Art and Poetry”, Prychodko at OISE Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, The Globe and Mail, Toronto, Sat.May 4,1974 pp32
[v] Anonymous, “Archaic Ciphers” Zürich News, Wochenbulletin, 31 March, 1984, pp. 11
[vi] Billeter, Fritz, “Happy-Sad Spirits“ Fröhlich-Traurige Gespenster“ Prychodko at Galerie Facchetti Zürich, the Tages Anzeiger''', Zürich Switzerland, June 18, 1980 pp. 24
[vii] Bernimoulin, Gundel, the Tages Anzeiger, Switzerland, "die Innere Dimension der Dinge" (the Inner Dimension of Things) Tages Anzeiger, Zürich, 22 Nov 1982 pp24
[viii] Billeter, Fritz, Tages Anzeiger, Zürich,"Malerishce Gesten und abstrakte Zeichen" (Painterly Gestures and Abstract Signs) Prychodko in der Galerie Paul Facchettti, Dienstag 10 April, 1984
[ix] Tallarico, Luigi,"Andrij Prychodko, una Esplosione di Vitalità" (Andrij Prychodko, an Explosion of Vitality) Il Secolo d'Italia, Roma, Mercoledi 15 febbraio, 1978
[x]Affentranger, Angelika, l’Oeil, Paris, no. 381 avril 1987, Galeries/Prychodko
[xi]Monteil, Annemarie, „Spiele auf vielerlei Ebenen“ (Playing on Multiple Levels) Prychodko in the Galerie Nathan, Zürich, die Weltwoche, Zürich, 19 März 1987 pp 69
[xii] Billeter, Fritz, Tages Anzeiger, Zürich,"Malerische Gesten und abstrakte Zeichen" (Painterly Gestures and Abstrakt Signs) Dienstag 10 April, 1984
[xiii] Catalog Art, Basel 13'82 1982 pp 572 & Catalog Art, Basel 14'83 1982 pp 594
[xv] Ministère de la Culture de France, le Ministre, lettre 160715- 24 juin 94
[xvi]Dziuba, Yvan, Minister of Culture of Ukraine, Міністерство Культури Украйни, Київ, Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, Kyiv, the Minister, letter no. 1-980/39, Sept. 10, 1993
Toubon, Jacques, Minister of Culture of France, Ministère de la Culture de France, le Ministre, letter no. 160715, 24 juin 94
[xvii]Nathan, Peter, Galerie Nathan''', Zürich, <ref> Nathan, Peter, exhibition Catalog, "Prychodko" Galerie Nathan, 1987 ISBN 3-906133-01-X
[xviii] http://www.bibliothequedesartsdecoratifs.com/consultation2/consultation.html search term: “Prychodko”
[xxi] http://arcade.nyarc.org/search~S8/?searchtype=X&searcharg=prychodko&searchscope=8
[xxiii] https://nal-vam.on.worldcat.org/search?databaseList=&queryString=Prychodko
[xxiv]http://library.tate.org.uk/uhtbin/cgisirsi/?ps=bUSPpC7IFq/LIBRARY/276820005/60/495/X search term: Prychodko
[xxvi] http://library.gallery.ca/search/t?SEARCH=Prychodko&searchscope=4&submit=Search
[xxviii] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGQe2bl-nXY
[xxix]https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWOELiJ-VKXD1UxY5KeN-6z0mW26aOL55
[xxx]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OzygK9umqA&index=14&list=PLxmUs06bjGVUBj7h0DEcKpWkeqPo6h5hF
[xxxi] https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdmxyT3ar9_--0UWSDiUY_7wZe6ikapUp
[xxxii]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MVXO2XzXLU&list=PL5Ic8OM5y9sIBkqZDwR1h1lwyzNTFiqtV
[xxxiii] Baum, Peter, Diehl, Gaston, Bollmann-Müller, Verena "Lobo, Skulpturen" "unsere wichtigsten Austellungen" ("our most important exhibitions")p.44 Editions Galerie Nathan, Zürich, 1996
[xxxiv] Blistène, Bernard et al, 20 "Galeries du 20e Siècle" Editions, Centre Pompidou, 2020, isbn 978-2-84426-880-8
Short Biography
Andrei Prychodko, born 1951 in Toronto, is a Swiss-Canadian artist of Ukrainian origin.
He has exhibited in Toronto, Rome, Zürich, Paris, New York, Geneva, Basel, etc... notably with the galleries Studio Paul Facchetti in Paris and Zurich (with whom he began to exhibit through the introduction of Galerie Beyeler of Basel) and Galerie Nathan in Zurich, as well as at Art Basel etc. Prychodko is the last artist to be discovered, independently of one another, by both Paul Facchetti and by Peter Nathan (where his work was shown under the patronage of Canada's ambassador). Cumulatively, he was represented by them from 1980 through 2007 and his work was acquired by their collectors such as Seymour H. Knox.
His art has been exhibited together with works by Appel, Calder, Chagall, deChirico, Dali, Dubuffet, Max Ernst, Estève, Fautrier, Marino Marini, Michaux, Sam Francis, Picasso, Poliakoff, Severini, Tapiès et al.
In 1993 Prychodko's art was chosen to spearhead the re-establishing of cultural relations via visual arts between France and post-Soviet Ukraine, whose Minister of Culture, Ivan Dziuba, writing to France's Minister of Culture, Jacques Toubon, called Prychodko’s art, “…a contemporary bridge from the Ukrainian avant-garde of Malevich, Archipenko, Sonia Delaunay-Terk et al."
Prychodko’s work is documented and reviewed in international periodicals of record such as the Toronto Globe & Mail and the Neue Zürcher Zeitung as well as in die Weltwoche, Tages Anzeiger, l’Oeil, Bollaffi Arte, etc.
The Encyclopedia of Ukraine documents Prychodko's unusual use of color, symbolist signs, unorthodox techniques and the paradox of spontenaiety and control in his work.
The exhibition catalog of his work, published by Peter Nathan, is archived in the Louvre, Paris, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Museum of Modern Art, New York, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, Tate Gallery, London, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Detroit Institute of Art, USA, Ludwig Museum, Cologne, Museum of Applied and Contemporary Art, Vienna, Yale University, USA, etc.
Following senior matriculation Prychodko worked in the newsroom, then as chief librarian/archivist of the Toronto Telegram, Canada’s second largest newspaper, but soon left to study briefly at Toronto’s New School of Art. In Europe since 1971, Prychodko followed self-directed, non-curricular studies at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux Arts in Paris, where he was accepted in the highest category, as well as at the Accademia di Belle Arti and Scuola Libera del Nudo in Florence. By special permissions he copied master drawings at il Gabinetto Disegni of the Uffizi and studied anatomy at the Universities of Toronto and Paris VII.
His first one man shows were at the University of Toronto, at Rome’s Studio Erre, and at the global headquarters of Crédit Suisse in Zürich.
Fluent in five languages, Prychodko has lived and painted across four continents- in Toronto, New York, Switzerland, Mexico, India, etc. and was based for 21 years in Paris. His studios were in the Hotel Chelsea, New York, in the former City Hall of San Cristobal las Casas, Mexico, on the ghats in Varanasi, in the Swiss Alps, etc. Referring to all this, the Neue Zürcher Zeitung sees his art as “issuing from limitless cultural/historical cross-references.”
Andrei Prychodko is a recipient of Awards from the Academy of Athens (modern), the Greenshields Foundation, Montreal and the Ontario Arts Council, Toronto.
He currently resides with his wife, the artist Amanda Bayard, at Crans-Montana, Switzerland.