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Biography

 

Andrei Prychodko, (variant spellings “Andrij” & “Andrii” Prychodko) born 1951 in Toronto, is a Swiss-Canadian artist of Ukrainian extraction.


He has exhibited in Toronto, Rome, Zürich, Paris, New York, Geneva, Art Basel, etc. and notably with Studio Paul Facchetti in Paris (with whom he began to exhibit through the introduction of Galerie Beyeler of Basel) as well as Galerie Nathan in Zurich.

 

Prychodko is the last artist discovered by Paul Facchetti, known for his role in discovering and bringing into the canon such then little known or unknown artists as Jackson Pollock, (first European show) Dubuffet, Fautrier, Sam Francis, Henri Michaux, Wols, Riopelle, Mathieu, Capogrossi, Hundertwasser et al. 


Subsequently, Prychodko was represented by Peter Nathan of Galerie Nathan of Zürich, which had been instrumental in building the Oskar Reinhart and Bührle Museum collections. Besides purveying old and modern masters to museums, Peter Nathan had furthered Chaissac, Estève, Lapicque, Poliakoff and de Stäel. Peter Nathan wrote of Prychodko as among his eight most important exhibitors together with with Chaissac, Estève, Lapicque, Lobo, Meistermann, De Staël, and Felix Valloton. Prychodko exhibited there under the patronage of the Canadian ambassador.


Cumulatively, Paul Facchetti represented Prychodko on a permanent basis, especially by appointment only, from 1980 through 2007. Peter Nathan represented Prychodko over a longer period of time. His work was acquired by collectors such as Seymour H. Knox II.


Previously, from 1976 to 1980, Prychodko had been represented by the gallerist Renata Avenali, at her Galleria Studio Erre in Rome, who represented modern and contemporary masters.


In 1993 Prychodko's art was chosen to spearhead the re-establishing of cultural relations via the visual arts between two nations: 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, Larionov, Sonia Delaunay-Terk et al." [xii]


The exhibition monograph of Prychodko’s work, published by Peter Nathan, is archived in the Louvre, Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art & MoMA, New York, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, Tate Gallery & 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, Peggy Guggenheim Archive, Venice etc. 

In its strata of meaning, his art has been compared to the writing of Jorge Luis Borges [vii] and Switzerland’s Neue Zürcher Zeitung speaks of “Western and Eastern elements inter-layering in time and space.” [viii] Toronto’s Globe and Mail evokes, “a relentless microscope turned on the artist- but by himself” [ix] while France’s l’Oeil speaks of “a joust of dramatic ideas with figurative means and between the artist and his own compositions.” [x] Die Weltwoche says that Prychodko, “stage- directs elaborate, enigmatic, facetious, mise-en scenes…”[xi]


Following senior matriculation, Prychodko worked in the newsroom, then as chief librarian/archivist [xiii] 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 l’ 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. 


Fluent in five languages, Prychodko has lived and painted on four continents- in Toronto, New York, Switzerland, Mexico, India, etc. and was based for 22 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, India, in the Swiss Alps, etc.


Andrei Prychodko is a recipient of grants from the Ontario Arts Council, Toronto, the Academy of Fine Arts, Athens and the Greenshields Foundation, Montreal.


He currently lives with his wife, the artist Amanda Bayard, at Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

 

Exhibitions

 

1980- 2007

Cumulatively from 1980 through 2007 Andrei Prychodko was represented by two influential gallerists, mostly by appointment only:

Paul Facchetti of Paris and Peter Nathan of Zürich. Previously from 1976 to 1980 he was represented by the gallerist Renata Avenali at her Galleria Studio Erre of Rome.​

Renata Avenali

From 1976 to 1980, Prychodko was represented by the 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.

Selected Exhibitions

Villa Arconati World Art Foundation, Milan 2003-Von Graffenried Private Bank, Brig, Switzerland

1987-Galerie Nathan, Zürich, Switzerland

1984-Galerie Paul Facchetti, Zürich, Switzerland

1982-ART, Basel with Galerie Weber S.A. d'Éditions,  Geneva

       -Galerie Wolfbach / Margrit Spleiss, Zürich, Switzerland (with Amanda Bayard)

1981- ART Basel with Galerie Weber  S.A. d'Éditions Geneva

1980-Galerie Paul Facchetti, Zürich, Switzerland

        -Crédit Suisse global headquarters, Paradeplatz, Zürich, Switzerland (summer exhibition)

         -ART Basel with Galerie Weber S.A. d'Éditions,  Geneva

1978

-Galleria Studio Erre, Rome

-Galleria Doria, Port’ Ercole, Italy

1976

-Galleria Studio Erre, Rome

-Galleria Bottega, d’Arte, Colleferro, Italy

-Centr’Arte Fallanto, Brindisi, Italy

1974

-University of Toronto, Great Hall, Hart House (with the New Chamber Orchestra of Canada)

-Ontario Institute For Studies in Education, Toronto

 Group Exhibitions

2017

-Villa Arconati, World Art Foundation, Bollate, Milan

“Presenza- a Dialogue Between the Past, Present and  the Future”

2001 

-Galleria Arturarte, Settevene, Rome, Italy, 2002

- City of Murten/Morat,

“Murtner Fisch, Les Poissons de la Ville de Morat,” Murten, Switzerland

1998

-43rd Salon de Montrouge, Paris

-Galerie Kiron, Paris

“Acquisitions de la Kiron Galerie” James Brown, H. Majera, Geroges Noël,  E. Pignon, A. Prychodko, ,A. Queffurus, A. Taulé, W. Vostell”

1996

-NBC Television Network, USA & Canada,

paintings by Andrij Prychodko in set decoration of movie “Jack Reed,“ Kushner-Locke Productions, Toronto, Canada

1986

-“Le Genie de la Bastille,” Paris

group exhibition organized by the French National Center for Visual Arts and Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs of Paris,

-The Wexler Gallery, New York,

“Light and Illusion” a group show of International painters Amanda Bayard, Don Bracken, Esdther Gentle, Allen Leepa, Robert Katona et al.

- Galerie Flora, Paris

-Galerie Kiron, Paris

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, 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​

- 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

 - Galleria Studio Erre, Arte Moderna di Renata 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,”

-Galleria Bottega, d’Arte, Colleferro, Italy

 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,”

1974

-The Scollard Gallery, Toronto, Canada

 

-The Independent Gallery, Toronto, Canada

1969

-The Collector’s Cabinet, Toronto, Canada

1993-1996

projected retrospectives

-State Museum of Fine Arts of Ukraine, Kyiv (Kiev) Ukraine

-Museum of Fine Arts, Lviv ( Lemberg),  Ukraine

-Museum of Fine Arts, Odessa, 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. Due to successive regime changes, however, the project was not brought to term. 


Footnotes
[i] Anonymous, “Archaic Ciphers” Zürich News, Wochenbulletin, 31 March, 1984, pp. 11
[ii] Billeter, Fritz, “Happy-Sad Spirits“ Fröhlich-Traurige Gespenster“ Prychodko at Galerie Facchetti Zürich, the Tages Anzeiger''', Zürich Switzerland, June 18, 1980 pp. 24

[iii] Bernimoulin, Gundel,  the Tages Anzeiger, Switzerland, "die Innere Dimension der Dinge" (the Inner Dimension of Things) Tages Anzeiger, Zürich, 22 Nov 1982  pp24
[iv] Billeter, Fritz, Tages Anzeiger, Zürich,"Malerishce Gesten und abstrakte Zeichen" (Painterly Gestures and Abstract Signs) Prychodko in der Galerie Paul Facchettti, 10 April, 1984
[v] Tallarico, Luigi,"Andrij Prychodko, una Esplosione di Vitalità" (Andrij Prychodko, an Explosion of Vitality) Il Secolo d'Italia, Roma, Mercoledi 15 febbraio, 1978
[vi] Struk, Danylo Husar, Editor, Encyclopedia of Ukraine, University of Toronto Press Incorporated 1993, Toronto, Buffalo, London  Volume IV pp. 257 & 258
[vii] Anonymous, “Archaic Ciphers” Zürich News, Wochenbulletin, 31 March, 1984, pp. 11.
[viii] Anonymous“ Prychodko, Galerie Nathan,“ Neue Zürcher Zeitung, March 12, 1987, pp42
[ix] 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
[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] Ministère de la Culture de France, le Ministre, lettre 160715- 24 juin 94 Міністерство Культурі Украйні Київ, Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, Kyiv, the Minister, letter 1-980/39, 10 09/93  
[xiii] https://www.library.yorku.ca/web/archives/finding-aids/telegram1/
[xiv] Anonymous“ Prychodko, Galerie Nathan,“ Neue Zürcher Zeitung, March 12, 1987, pp 42

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