Exploring Contemporary Ukrainian Art: An Interview with Igor Nekraha on Painting, Design, and International Exhibitions
How has Ukrainian artist Igor Nekraha combined classical art education, industrial design, and international plein air exhibitions to shape his contemporary artistic career?
Igor Nekraha was born in 1998 in Kharkiv. He received his primary art education at Kharkiv Art College between 2013 and 2017, specializing in art teaching. In 2017, he entered the Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts, majoring in industrial design. Active in exhibitions since 2013, Nekraha regularly participates in Ukrainian and international plein airs. His works are held in private collections across Ukraine, the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Greece.
In this interview, Scott Douglas Jacobsen speaks with Igor Nekraha about his artistic development from classical training in Kharkiv to contemporary industrial design studies and international exhibition work. Nekraha reflects on plein-air painting, the influence of Ukrainian artistic traditions, and the challenges of sustaining a creative practice amid social upheaval. The discussion explores artistic discipline, cross-cultural appreciation of Ukrainian art, and the evolving relationship between design, painting, and personal expression in his growing international career.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What can you tell me about the artists and the art on this particular wall presentation?
Igor Nekraha: This painting was made by this artist. This is the finished painting, and this is the sketch. This is his brother’s work. One brother likes to fill in the lines, while the other works in a different painting style.
Nekraha: This one is my painting.
Jacobsen: I love it.
Nekraha: Thank you. I am very inspired by nature. Maybe 80% to 90% of my paintings are landscapes.
Jacobsen: And you do this outdoors?
Nekraha: Yes, outdoors. I really love painting from nature because it has a therapeutic effect on me. This way, I kill two birds with one stone: I rest and work at the same time.
Jacobsen: That must be therapeutic. It must be therapeutic, just being in nature.
Nekraha: It is wonderful. It is a useful and good way for me to spend time in nature and paint.
This artist’s painting is on the left side, the one in the red frame. This one is also his. These two paintings are by Yuriy Bolsa. It is interesting because this is his chart. There are also his sculptures.
It is really amazing. Here is one of his sculptures. There are paintings as well. His earlier work included comics. This is his studio.
Yurii Bosa works with found materials. He creates sculptures from waste and uses fiberboard salvaged from landfills as his canvas. This in no way diminishes the quality of his work; rather, his pieces retain their individuality and sincerity. He is an uncompromising and intriguing artist.
Jacobsen: What I can do in the article is use a gallery mode, where you can upload 5 or 10 photos, and people can scroll through them. These paintings are by the same artists, but they are different paintings.
Jacobsen: What is the unifying theme, other than that they are related to you professionally?
Nekraha: There is no specific topic. These are different artists, each with their own view and style. So there is no single theme or topic; it is simply a group exhibition of artists.
The goal of the project is to bring together interesting and creative individuals in a single exhibition and present their work to the highest possible quality. At the same time, each of them fully retains their individual authenticity.
Jacobsen: Thank you very much for the opportunity and your time, Igor.
—
Scott Douglas Jacobsen is the Lifestyle and Finance Writer and Editor for A Further Inquiry with more than 400 published articles in the outlet. He is the Founder and Publisher of In-Sight Publishing (ISBN: 978–1–0692343; 978–1–0673505) and Editor-in-Chief of In-Sight: Interviews (ISSN: 2369–6885). He writes for International Policy Digest (ISSN: 2332–9416), The Humanist (Print: ISSN, 0018–7399; Online: ISSN, 2163–3576), Basic Income Earth Network (UK Registered Charity 1177066), Humanist Perspectives (ISSN: 1719–6337), Vocal, Medium, The Good Men Project, The New Enlightenment Project, The Washington Outsider, rabble.ca, and other media. His bibliography index can be found via the Jacobsen Bankat In-Sight Publishing. He has served in national and international leadership roles within humanist and media organizations, held several academic fellowships, and currently serves on several boards. He is a member in good standing in numerous media organizations, including the Canadian Association of Journalists, PEN Canada (CRA: 88916 2541 RR0001), Reporters Without Borders (SIREN: 343 684 221/SIRET: 343 684 221 00041/EIN: 20–0708028), and others.
Photo by Scott Douglas Jacobsen