One of the most famous contemporary Ukrainian artists is Ivan Marchuk. In 2007, he was included in the ranking of the 100 Greatest Living Geniuses, published by the British magazine The Daily Telegraph.

Ivan Marchuk was born in 1936 in the village of Moskalivka in western Ukraine. He studied at the Lviv School of Arts. After military service, he entered the Lviv Institute of Applied Arts.

From 1989 to 2002, Ivan Marchuk lived in Sydney (Australia), Toronto (Canada), and New York (USA), because the Soviet government had forbidden him to stay in Ukraine.

Ivan Marchuk is a philosopher in painting. He demonstrates a unique artistic vision and technique. He is one of the founders of Ukrainian avant-garde painting, creating his own artistic style called pliontanism. The name comes from the Ukrainian word pliontaty, meaning “to weave” or “to intertwine.” This term accurately describes his style. At first glance, Marchuk’s works appear woven from countless threads. His brush guides intersecting, multicoloured lines that create an image of striking hyperrealism.

One of Marchuk’s paintings, The Garden of Temptations, was sold for $120,000. The entire amount was donated to support the Ukrainian army during the war against Russia. Today, Ivan Marchuk lives in Vienna, Austria, where he continues to paint.