Photo: Nick Vdovenko

The Odesa Museum of Personal Collections named after O. Bleschunov has prepared an exhibition of the famous Ukrainian artist - graphic artist, painter, illustrator, master of etching and ex-libris Gennadiy Harmider. His works are held in 26 museums in Ukraine and 12 museums abroad, as well as in private collections around the world.

The artist lived and worked in Odessa, enriching its cultural environment, creating unforgettable artistic images on canvas and paper. Many admirers are familiar with Gennadiy Harmider's series of etchings "Odessa of the first half of the 19th century," "Odessa of the second half of the 19th century," "Life in Odessa at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century," and others.

But this time, the museum staff want to show the artist from an unusual angle, one that viewers may not have known before. And this Harmider is a theatrical artist.

In 1974, Gennadiy Harmider graduated from the theatrical workshop of the painting department of the Kyiv Art Institute. He created educational productions and also artistically designed the play "Adventures of a Little Shadow" by Estonian author Iko Moran, which was successfully performed both on the theatrical stage and on television. The exhibition features sketches for this play, as well as for the play "Cyrano de Bergerac."

The sketches of costumes concentrate on color and plastic expressiveness, impressing with the accurately captured characters. You will peer into the artist's creative laboratory and see how from sketches, drawings, with the author's notes in pencil and jokes, to the finished sketch, the artistic image of a puppet theater production is created.

Although the artist devoted most of his life to graphics and painting, theatrical vision and a sense of the world are evident in many of his works. Harmider can leave the theater, but the theater cannot leave Harmider. The artist's favorite themes are the city streets and cafes, resembling theatrical sets where the life of characters unfolds.

Viewers will see the series "Devil's Tales of the New Time" as well as sketches for souvenir boards "Sea Family," "Merry Rooster," and "Marine Landing," in which Harmider also showed himself as a talented designer.

The exhibition is open to visitors at the space of the "Apartment No. 6" museum (19 Polska Street, entrance from the courtyard) on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11:00 to 17:00.

Gennadiy Harmider (February 21, 1945 – March 16, 2023) was a graphic artist, painter, master of etching and ex-libris, and book illustrator. He was a member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine since 1977. From 1953 until his last day, he lived in Odessa. The author of numerous graphic and pictorial works, which were exhibited at regional, national, and international exhibitions. Many of his works are held in museums in Ukraine and abroad, as well as in private collections around the world. He was awarded honorary titles by the Mayor of Odesa for "Meritorious Service to the City" and "Labor Glory."