Bozhiy Mikhail - People's Artist of Ukraine

Biography of Mykhailo Bozhiy: distinguished Ukrainian artist and People's artist of the USSR

Mykhailo Bozhiy (also - Mikhail Bozhiy; 1911–1990) was a prominent Soviet and Ukrainian artist, a People's Artist of the USSR (1963), and a laureate of the Taras Shevchenko State Prize of the Ukrainian SSR (1974). His prolific work is a significant part of the history of national art, reflecting profound realism and unique talent.

Early life and education

Mykhailo Bozhiy was born on September 20, 1911, in Mykolaiv, into a family of a shipyard worker. His passion for drawing emerged early; he initially learned from books and then sketched from life, even using ordinary house paints. From 1930–1933, he received his professional education at the Mykolaiv Art College under the tutelage of Dmytro Krainyev, whom he highly esteemed and remembered throughout his life.

Beginning in 1933, Bozhiy worked as a zincographer and artist for a newspaper, and was involved in decorating streets and squares in Mykolaiv. In 1936, he moved to Odesa, where he joined a group of animation artists at the Odesa Film Studio by invitation, and also worked at the Odesa Children's Cinema.

Artistic journey and recognition

Mykhailo Bozhiy's first exhibition took place in 1938, where he showcased his portrait sketches. During World War II, unable to join the front lines due to health reasons, he created posters and satirical drawings for "TASS Windows." After Odesa's liberation in 1944, he actively resumed his artistic endeavors.

Mykhailo Bozhiy worked across all genres of painting, creating large-scale realistic paintings, portraits, landscapes, and still lifes. He was a recognized master of portraiture, striving to reveal the inner world and significance of his subjects. Among his notable works are "Portrait of Excellent Student Svitlana Shypunova" (1950) and "Nurse" (1955), which earned him a bronze medal at the 1958 World Art Exhibition in Brussels and a silver medal from the Ministry of Culture of the USSR.

His skill and talent were highly acclaimed: in 1957, he became an Honored Artist of the Ukrainian SSR; in 1960, a People's Artist of the Ukrainian SSR; and in 1963, a People's Artist of the USSR. From 1962, Bozhiy was a full member of the Academy of Arts of the USSR. He also served as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR for the VI–VII convocations (1962–1970).

Despite official recognition, Mykhailo Bozhiy remained deeply self-critical. According to his colleagues and friends, he constantly strived for perfection and never held solo exhibitions until he was 75, considering his works "not good enough" yet.

Legacy and Remembrance

Mykhailo Bozhiy passed away on January 1, 1990, in Odesa. His works are preserved in the Museum of Ukrainian Fine Arts in Kyiv, the Kyiv Art Gallery, the Odesa Art Museum, and many other major art museums in Ukraine and beyond.

In memory of the artist, a memorial plaque has been installed in Odesa on the building at 1 Velyka Arnautska Street, where he lived and worked. In 2012, Liza Chaikina Street in Odesa was renamed Mykhailo Bozhiy Street. In 2019, the Department of Culture of the Odesa Regional State Administration established the Mykhailo Bozhiy Regional Fine Arts Prize, immortalizing his name in the history of Ukrainian art. His son, Sviatoslav Bozhiy (1938–1999), also became an Honored Art Worker of Ukraine, continuing the family's artistic dynasty.