Gallery Portal 11 presents the exhibition “Serhii Pustoviit. Through the Gate of Worlds”. 19.09. – 26.10.2025.
Serhii Pustoviit is one of the most intriguing and distinctive figures in Ukrainian art, whose creative peak fell during the 1970s–1980s. His work was distinguished by a search for new means of expression and a unique artistic vision.
The artist was born in the village of Mezhyrich in the Cherkasy region into the family of renowned graphic artist Havrylo Pustoviit. He spent his childhood in Kyiv, in the Hrushevsky family’s house, where his cultural environment and love for art were formed. He studied at the Kyiv Secondary Art School and the Kyiv State Art Institute. Shortly after graduating, Serhii gained recognition for a series of works, among them “In the Studio” (1970), “The Restorers” (1973), and others. Later, he was awarded a diploma from the USSR Academy of Arts for the painting Evening in the Port, and in 1987 he became a member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine.
The largest public collection of his works is housed at the National Art Museum of Ukraine, thanks to donations from the artist’s wife, Olena Levina, and his brother’s wife, Larysa Fedorova. In 2025, to mark the artist’s 80th anniversary, NAMU hosted the first solo exhibition of Serhii Pustoviit, which returned his name to the contemporary art scene. Many of his works are preserved in museums and private collections in Ukraine and abroad, while some remain in the temporarily occupied Crimea, where the artist spent the last years of his life.
The exhibition “Through the Gate of Worlds” presents works from various stages of the artist’s career: from his earliest known student works to his final pieces, which were featured in a joint exhibition with his brother titled “Return to the World of God” (1992, Museum of the History of Kyiv).
Seascapes hold a central place in Pustoviit’s oeuvre, particularly those depicting the southeastern coast of Crimea with its beloved surroundings and bays near Mount Karadag, as well as his cherished Bakhchysarai. Many of his paintings harmoniously combine realistic landscapes with fantastical imagery, executed with virtuoso ease. The artist also frequently depicted people close to him—friends, family, and himself.
The art of Serhii Pustoviit is exceptional, dynamic, and full of emotion—emotions that are often hidden within the artist’s inner world. At first glance, his canvases may seem calm and balanced, yet a deeper immersion reveals their true resonance, inviting the viewer to step “through the gate of worlds” into his artistic universe.
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