I am an artist
Yosef Ostrovsky
(Shepetovka, Ukraine: 1935 - Jerusalem. Israel 1993)
Place of Birth: Shepetovka, Ukraine,
Education and Training: Odessa State Academy of Art
Exhibitions: Group and solo Exhibitions in Moscow, Odessa, Kiev, Minsk, USSR; USA, Canada,England, Italy, France, Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Egypt, Japan, and Israel
Positions and Honors:
Chief artist of Sderot, Israel
Member of the Artists Union of USSR
Member of the Israel Union of Artists
Member of the International Association of Art
Since 1989, Yosef Ostrovsky lived and worked in Israel
Yosef Ostrovsky’s works can be found in renowned museums and many private art collections throughout the world.
A window into the life and works of Yosef Ostrovsky.
Yosef Ostrovsky is one of the best and most renowned of the Odessa artists; indeed his name continues to be a symbol of Odessa art in the second half of the twentieth century. It is easy to recognize his works at first glance as they are both joyous and sad at the same time. Indeed, these works contain the expression of the very essence of the soul of the Jewish people. His paintings can be found in renowned museums, galleries and private art collections throughout the world .
Born in 1935 in the Ukraine, Ostrovsky’s artistic talents surfaced at an early age. He graduated from the Odessa State Academy of Art at the age of 20 and ten years later was appointed to the highly prestigious Union of Artists of the USSR.
Ostrovsky’s early paintings include landscapes, still lifes, and family portraits. He quickly attained regional recognition. His renown spread to a national level as he participated in countrywide and international exhibitions. Established artists and writers frequently visited Ostrovsky’s studio, to exchange views and find inspiration.
Yosef Ostrovsky always rejected definitions of his style or himself in standard terms and did not find value in "stylistic classifications". He said, "I am an artist. Not a 'classical artist', not a 'modern artist'. Just an artist. Only then I am free to express my philosophy on canvas".
Ostrovsky also rejected the label of “Jewish artist”. Nevertheless, his Jewish identity was the force behind his most important works. These paintings were produced between the 1970’s and 1990’s when he became influenced by early childhood memories of his Jewish heritage. He brought to life his grandfather’s prayer shawl and his mother’s lighting Sabbath candles. Images began forming in his mind, and he started to sketch and paint Jewish themes.
As he recalled the sights and symbols of his Jewish heritage, Yosef Ostrovsky painted one painting after another. These paintings became the basis of his famous "Jewish cycle”, which included mainly portraits: Jewish musicians of the shtetl, craftsmen, Jewish sages… and topical paintings that are based on motifs of Torah and Tanach.
He produced a wealth of simple, yet poignant works, so beautifully colored, so full of light, so very full of the Jewish soul.
Initially, these pictures were kept hidden away in the artist’s studio. With Perestroika came the opportunity for Ostrovsky to bring these works “out of the closet” so that his many admirers throughout the world could enjoy them.
As Ostrovsky said regarding his “Jewish Cycle”: "Eternal themes concern everyone. The language of art and feeling knows no borders. The more deeply you penetrate the soul of your own nation, the more understandable your art becomes to other nations."
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
1978: The Odessa Museum of Western & Oriental Art,
Odessa, USSR
1984: «S.G.» Journalist Centre Exhibition Hall, Moscow,
USSR
1988: Odessa State Art Museum, Odessa, USSR
1988: International Festival of Cinematography:
«Golden Duke», Odessa, USSR
1990: London Art Gallery, London, UK
1992: Palace of Culture Exhibition Hall, Sderot, Israel
1992: Cafe Central Gallery, Coesfeld Germany
1994: The Odessa Museum of Western & Oriental Art,
Odessa, Ukraine
1995: NAFI Gallery, New York, USA
1998: Exhibition Hall of Communities House,
Jerusalem, Israel
2001: Odessa State Art Museum, Odessa, Ukraine
2007: Liberty Art Gallery, Odessa, Ukraine
2008: Dnipropetrovs'k Fine Arts Museum, Dnipropetrovs'k,
Ukraine
2008: Odessa Fine Arts Museum, Odessa, Ukraine
2008: Kyiv Museum of Russian Art, Kyiv, Ukraine
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1961: «Republican art exhibition», Kyiv, USSR
1961: «Republican art exhibition of Marine Artists»,
Kyiv, USSR
1963: «Second regional exhibition of sketches,
Odessa, USSR
1965: «Odessa – Alexandria», Alexandria, Egypt
1966: «Republican exhibition «Preserving the World»,
Kyiv, USSR
1966: «Odessa – Varna – Burgas», Varna, Burgas,
Bulgaria
1969: «Republican art exhibition»,
Kyiv State Art Museum, Kyiv, USSR
1969: «Odessa – Szeged», Szeged, Hungary
1972: «Regional exhibition «Portrait and Still Life»
Odessa, USSR
1972: «Exhibition of contemporary artists», Moscow, USSR
1974: «Odessa – Kyiv. Artists exhibition»,
Odessa – Kyiv, USSR
1975: «Exhibition of Odessa artists», Genoa, Italy
1976: «Exhibition of contemporary artists»,
Minsk, Belarus
1977: «Exhibition of Odessa artists», Genoa, Italy
1977: «Exhibition of Odessa artists», Baltimore,
Maryland, USA
1977: «Art – 77», Tokyo, Japan
1988: «Exhibition of Four Artists» Odessa Art Museum,
Odessa, USSR
1990: «Artists of the 90s», ZOA House, Tel Aviv, Israel
1990: «Russian Avant_garde», Hilton Hotel,
Jerusalem, Israel.
1990: Sa_nur Artists' Village, Sa_nur, Israel
1990: Participation in international art exhibition:
«Elyon International», Jerusalem – Paris – London –
Zurich – Antwerp – New York – Tokyo
1990: Cultural Centre Exhibition Hall, Rehovot, Israel
1990: «Exhibition of contemporary artists» Kiryat
Histadrut, Karmiel. Israel
1991: Artist House, Jerusalem
1991: THE CATTO GALLERY, London, UK
1991: Artists' House, Tel Aviv, Israel
1992: Yad Lebanim House, Rehovot , Israel
1992: Cafe Central Gallery, Coesfeld Germany
1993: «A New House, A New Light», Jerusalem
International Congress Center (Binyanei Hauma),
Jerusalem, Israel
1994: JCC Gallery, Stamford, UK
1994: «Twentieth_century Russian art», Gardiner Art
Gallery, Oklahoma State University, USA
1995: Artexpo, Jacob Javits Center, New York, USA
2001: «Anticipating A Miracle. Jewish Artists
of XIX – XX», Odessa Art Museum, Ukraine
2006: «Geography of Language», The Jerusalem House
of Quality, Jerusalem, Israel
SELECTED ART COLLECTIONS
Ministry of Culture, Moscow, Russia
Museum of Russian Art, Ramat Gan, Israel
Odessa State Museum of Art, Odessa, Ukraine
Bleschunov Municipal Museum of Private Collections,
Odessa, Ukraine
Odessa State Literary Museum, Odessa, Ukraine
Odessa Museum of Western and Eastern Art, Ukraine
Odessa Jewish history Museum, Odessa, Ukraine
Dnipropetrovs'k Museum of Art, Ukraine
Ministry of Culture, Kyiv, Ukraine
Museum of Art, Genoa, Italy
Museum of Fine Art, Riga, Latvia
THE CATTO GALLERY, London, UK
Museum of Art, Tokyo, Japan
Mr. Mrs. Markovsky Art Collection, NJ, USA
Podolsky Art Gallery Collection, USA
Mr. Mrs. Kolinsky Art Collection, Washington, USA
Mrs. Elisse Jo Goldstein Art Collection, NY, USA
WJC Senior Vice President Mr. Isi Liebler, Art Collection,
Australia
Mr. Marton Braun Art Collection, London, UK
Mr. Zinoviy Gerdt Art Collection, Moscow, Russia
Mr. Len Erlikh Art Collection, Miami, USA
Mr. and Mrs. Juravlev Art Collection, Moscow, Russia
Mrs. T. Tess Art Collection, Moscow, Russia
Mr. Churgin Art Collection, Moscow, Russia
Mr. Valentin Nikulin Art Collection, Israel
Mr. Mark Zilberkvit Art Collection, USA
Mr. Michael Kazakov Art Collection, Moscow, Russia
Mr. Velikanov S. Art Collection, Bat Yam, Israel
Mr. F. Kochricht, Art Collection, Odessa, Ukraine
Mr. Capitan Nazarenko, Art Collection, Odessa, Ukraine
Mr. G. Mitnickiy, Art Collection, NY, USA
Mr. G. Golubovsky, Art Collection, Odessa, Ukraine
Mr. Michael Matusevich, Art Collection, Tel Aviv, Israel
Mr. Igor Guberman, Art Collection, Jerusalem, Israel
Mr. Valery Chait, Art Collection, Odessa, Ukraine
Professor Mark Sokolansky, Art Collection, Lubeck,
Germany
Professor Velikanov K. Art Collection, Odessa, Ukraine
Yosef Ostrovsky's family art collection, Israel
