In a diverse world of abstract art, gestural abstraction, or action painting, has always been endowed with a special meaning. Emerged as a strong tradition in the mid-20th century, this expressive style of painting has evolved in many directions, including the distinctive drip painting that has become known thanks to such masters as Jackson Pollock and Janet Sobel. Today’s artists continue to experiment with action painting, pushing the boundaries of contemporary abstract art. One such artist is the Ukrainian painter Dmytro Panchenko.
Gestural Abstraction in the Work of Dmytro Panchenko
Dmytro Panchenko was born and raised in a small town in Ukraine. His passion for art was seen since his early years when he was first introduced to music, poetry, and the art of Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh. Despite his boundless love for art expression, Dmytro Panchenko has never received any specific art education. He is mainly a self-taught artist who, however, finished several art courses, including from the Museum of Modern Art in New York, HarvardX, and the University Carlos III of Madrid where he learned about European art and architecture.
Today, Dmytro Panchenko lives in Poland. He works in a diverse range of painting styles and genres, but gestural abstraction plays an especially important role in his art. The artist particularly experiments with drip painting, often combining the elements of Malevich’s Suprematism with Pollock’s action painting technique.
In 2020, Dmytro Panchenko had two solo exhibitions: one at Gallery Globus in Kyiv, Ukraine, and another one at Pracownia Gallery in Bydgoszcz, Poland. He was also featured at the exhibitions at the Kyiv History Museum and the Artist’s House. Works by Dmytro Panchenko are in the permanent exposition at Gallery Globus in Kyiv.
In addition to his passion for gestural abstraction and abstract art overall, Dmytro Panchenko is interested in medieval paintings and the art of the Roman Empire, which he has been learning for two years now. Classic art is what inspires him, so we are likely to see strikingly new artworks by the talented Ukrainian artist in the near future.