Marta was born in Ivano-Frankivsk. Since childhood she knew that she would be an artist. She studied Monumental and Decorative Painting at the Kosiv Institute of Applied and Decorative Arts of the Lviv National Academy of Arts and Fine Arts at the Ukrainian Academy of Printing in Lviv.
She chose the faculty in order to master a larger number of techniques. So she studied stained glass, mosaic, fresco, sgraffito, encaustic painting, etc. Although she was not too interested in monumental art at that time.
The concept of Marta Pitchuk’s creative work is an ancient motanka doll, which she managed to make unusual, original and recognizable. Marta raises age-old layers of ethnicity, primeval authenticity. She persistently studies the ancestors’ immortal heritage, deeply soaking up its essence to the point of complete fusion with the spirit of our glorious past.
Her paintings depict elements of the Ukrainian folk costume. But not the ones we are used to, but the long forgotten ones. The author studies each ethnic region, tries to find something special and unusual in it. Marta puts her heart into her creations, reveals the most secret, the most intimate to the world.
Marta creates the images that rule over time. With her work she strives to draw attention to Ukrainian art and culture in general. In addition, she accomplishes the mission of the creator – to save the world with beauty. The author’s concept of a motanka consists in authenticity, combined with modernity, it has a chance for eternity.
Marta’s works can be found not only on canvases but also on walls. Together with her husband, Yurii Pitchuk, they created more than 50 murals in different cities of Ukraine. A series of works with women in ethnic clothes stands out especially. There are murals in Lviv, Stryi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kosiv, Chernivtsi, Khmelnytskyi, Avdiivka. In each city artists depict women in the ancient Ukrainian costume, which was characteristic of that ethnic region.
Marta Pitchuk’s creative work is a vivid insight into the depths of the ages, right up to the origins of Ukrainian existence and culture, it is the Artist’s message to the past and future generations, it is a transmission of the spirit and mentality of Ukrainians. The artist’s works are kept in private collections in England, Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, Austria, France, Luxembourg, Poland, Argentina, the USA and Canada.
In the collection of shawls you will currently meet 2 Motankas:
The first is “The Motanka from Western Podillia on a Light Background”. Marta painted it in 2021. In the picture you will see a Borshchiv embroidery blouse – a glorious embroidery technique. But the main focus of this work is on hands. Between the Motanka’s palms energy seems to be born and radiate, they seem to pulsate. There is a dynamic in this composition, a feeling as if the Motanka is running out of the canvas.
The second is “The Motanka with a Lizhnyk (a thick woolen mostly patterned-woven plaid rug) from Hutsulshchyna (Hutsul region)”. It was painted in 2022. Here a hutsul woman is wearing a blouse from the village of Babyn, Kosiv district. On her head there is a wimple draped in the manner characteristic of this region. Behind her there is a Hutsul lizhnyk, which turns into dynamic abstract strokes.
Marta’s art enchants! And our shawls are bright in colors and emotions, excellent in quality, pleasant to the touch – like a feather.
And they have the important mission, which was told about in more detail here.
