Anatoly Shmatok

Anatolii Shmatok (born in 1966, Losynivka, Chernihiv region, Ukraine) is a Ukrainian artist and a representative of contemporary naïve art (art naïf). He is a self-taught painter who has been actively working in painting for more than twenty years, creating thousands of artworks. The artist works mainly with gouache on paper and oil on canvas, developing his own recognizable style.

Anatolii Shmatok’s work is distinguished by pure, unmixed colors, strong outlines, and decorative ornamental rhythms. In his paintings, the artist combines various motifs: the architecture of Ukrainian villages, floral still lifes, figurative compositions with people and animals, as well as symbolic and abstract subjects. The simplicity of form in his works is combined with the multiplicity of meanings and deep emotional expression, creating a special atmosphere and leaving space for interpretation.

As a representative of naïve art, the artist works outside academic conventions, giving preference to the immediacy of artistic expression. His paintings are characterized by bright colors, expressive forms, and compositional freedom, which allow him to convey not only images but also mood and emotions.

Anatolii Shmatok works intuitively, often creating p...

2011 — "East of the Sun," Lavra Gallery, Kyiv

2024 — "Space of Fantasies," Kyiv National Art Gallery