Ivan Tverdun

“I always prefer working from life – whether it’s a landscape, a portrait, or a figurative composition. It’s a kind of energy exchange you simply can’t capture from a photograph or any other source. It’s like a live conversation compared to exchanging text messages.”

I am a contemporary Ukrainian artist based in Lviv, born in 1961, working primarily in oil painting and pastel drawing. For over four decades, I have dedicated my practice to figurative art, expressive landscapes, cityscapes, and nude studies, always working directly from life. Plein air painting remains central to my artistic philosophy - it allows me to capture the atmosphere, light, and emotional presence of a moment with authenticity and immediacy.

My early works were strongly influenced by symbolism, philosophical themes, and esoteric reflection, placing me within the broader tradition of Eastern European expressive painting. Over time, my style evolved toward bold, color-driven compositions marked by post-impressionistic energy and dynamic brushwork. My oil paintings often feature vibrant urban landscapes, Lviv cityscapes, and emotionally charged natural scenes, while my pastel works explore the human figure through expressive line, movement, and intimate psych...

1985 – Lviv Academy of Arts, Lviv, Ukraine (Fine Arts)

1980 – Lviv College of Decorative and Applied Art named after Ivan Trush, Lviv, Ukraine

Since 1995 – Member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine

Solo Exhibitions

2023 – Lebensfreude – Freiheit von Angst (“Joy of Life – Freedom from Fear”), Waldmüllerzentrum, Vienna, Austria
2018 – Verschleierte Träume (“Veiled Dreams”), Waldmüllerzentrum, Vienna, Austria
2016 – Impressionen eines ukrainischen Künstlers (“Impressions of a Ukrainian Artist”), Waldmüllerzentrum, Vienna, Austria
2006 – National Museum named after A. Sheptytsky, Lviv, Ukraine
2002 – Symbols of Light, Dzyga Art Center, Lviv, Ukraine
2000 – Alla Rogers Gallery, Washington, D.C., USA
1998 – Gallery 36, Kyiv, Ukraine
1992 – Museum of Ethnography, Lviv, Ukraine
1990 – Exhibition, Dillingen, Germany

Group Exhibitions

2000 – Ukrainian Institute of America, New York, USA
1998 – Europ’ART, Palexpo, Geneva, Switzerland
1995 – OR Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine