On August 17, 2020, an opening of a personal exhibition “Graphic Miniatures” by a famous Odesa artist, the People’s Artist of Ukraine MykolaProkopenkotook place in O.O.Osmerkin Art-Memorial Museum. The exhibition was dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the artist. Also, a catalog “Graphic Miniatures by Mykola Prokopenko” was presented within the museum art project of the series of art exhibitions “Laureates of the Regional Award in Fine Art and the Study of Art named after Oleksandr Osmerkin.”
    Prokopenko Mykola Mykolaiovych was born on August 17, 1945 in the village of Lymanske, Reniisky district, the Odesa Oblast. He lives and works in Odesa. Graduated from Odesa State Art College named after M.B.Hrekov (1971) and Kyiv State Art Institute, now the National Academy of Visual Art and Architecture (1977). The People’s Artist of Ukraine (2015). A member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine. A member of the National Union of Theatre Workers of Ukraine. A laureate of Kirovohrad Regional Award in Fine Art and the Study of Art named after Oleksandr Osmerkin in the nomination “modern tendencies” (2018). A painter, graphic artist, book graphic and illustrator, fine art restorer. A participant of international, all-Ukrainian, and regional exhibitions, as well as international biennale and triennale of graphic art and book illustration of printed and script books. The works are kept in the museum and galleries collections, collections of the national libraries, and private collections in many countries. The artist has had more than 100 personal exhibitions.
    In 2017, the artist’s personal exhibition was held in Kropyvnytskyi in the gallery “Yelisavethrad” and Regional Art Museum, now the Museum of Arts. That was also when Mykola Prokopenko visited our museum and presented the catalog of his works and a painting. The next year, at the support of the owner of the gallery “Yelisavethrad” Mykola Tsukanov, he handed more than 50 graphic miniatures of the 1980s to the museum.
    The works, made in the mixed technique with grey and colored pencils, markers, watercolors, gouache, and Indian ink, are being exhibited for the first time in the museum at the personal exhibition “Graphic Miniatures by Mykola Prokopenko”. Each of theseart gems is a unique art work. The size of the works is up to 10 cm on the larger side.
    The leading researcher of the museum, art historian, Merited Artist of Ukraine Andrii Nadezhdin presented the exposition of the exhibition and the catalog “Graphic Miniatures by Mykola Prokopenko”.
    The chief curator of the Museum of Arts, Merited Worker of Culture of Ukraine, ValentynaNozhenko made a congratulatory speech and mentioned that the museum has almost 100 paintings and graphic works of the People’s Artist of Ukraine Mykola Prokopenko. She also handed the Letter of Congratulations on the 35th anniversary of O.O.Osmerkin Art-Memorial Museum.
    Although the artist wasn’t present at the vernissage, the museum director Vita Chernova told about the telephone conversation with Mykola Prokopenko when he thanked for the organized exhibition of his works and sent his best regards to all the worshipers of his creative work.
    All the visitors of the event had a great opportunity to watch the author’s program created by the journalist Mariia Larchenko “Power of Talent” from Kropyvnytskyi. In the program, Mykola Prokopenko told about himself and his creative philosophy. This incredibly interesting interview with the artist was shot in the gallery “Yelisavethrad” during his visit to our town and presentation of the exhibition of paintings.