Dulfan Lucien - American artist from Odessa

Lucien Dulfan: American Surrealist from Odesa – A Legacy of Unofficial Art

Lucien Veniaminovich Dulfan (b. 1942) – a vibrant figure in global art, an American artist of Soviet origin whose name is inextricably linked with both the distinctive Odesa school and the New York avant-garde. Recognized as one of the central masters of Soviet unofficial art, Dulfan creates canvases woven from paradoxes, where fantasy intertwines with reality, and irony with profound thought.

Journey from Frunze to Odesa: The Artist's Formation

Lucien Dulfan was born on February 14, 1942, in Frunze (now Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan), where his family had been evacuated during World War II. In 1946, the family returned to Odesa, a city that would become a crucial stage in the artist's development. Here, after graduating from school, Lucien was admitted to the prestigious Odesa Art College named after Mitrofan Grekov, from which he successfully graduated in 1963. His talent blossomed under the guidance of the outstanding educator Dina Frumina, who left a significant mark on his artistic worldview.

Recognition in the USSR: From Graphics to an All-Union Award

Starting in 1965, Lucien Dulfan actively participated in all-Union and international exhibitions, presenting his works in Odesa, Moscow, Geneva, Toronto, and New York. In 1973, he became a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR, working as a graphic artist for the newspaper "Komsomolskaya Iskra."

The culmination of his Soviet artistic period was the "First Prize in Painting," awarded by the Ministry of Culture of the USSR and the Union of Artists of the USSR in 1975. This award, considered one of the most prestigious in the last half-century of Soviet history, brightly confirmed Dulfan's mastery, despite his nonconformist approach to art.

Emigration and the New York Period: Opening New Horizons

In 1990, Lucien Dulfan emigrated with his family to the United States, choosing New York as his new home. Here, the artist continues to work actively, creating monumental canvases and unique objects in his studio in Jersey City. His energy and physical strength, even at an advanced age, are astonishing: he independently builds stretchers and moves large-format works.

Stepan Riabchenko, a contemporary Ukrainian artist, aptly describes Dulfan as "woven from paradoxes," comparing him to a unique blend of Salvador Dalí and Ivan Poddubny, spiced with a special sense of humor and deep reflections. Lucien Dulfan does not adhere to specific groups, instead creating his own complex and distinctive world. 

Collections and Museum Presence

Lucien Dulfan's works are highly valued and represented in the collections of leading museums worldwide, including:

• Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University (New Jersey, USA)
• Odesa Art Museum (Odesa, Ukraine)
• Museum of Modern Art Odesa (Odesa, Ukraine)
• Odesa Museum of Western and Eastern Art (Odesa, Ukraine)
• Museums in Seoul, Warsaw, Poznan, Tbilisi, Kyiv
• Numerous private collections worldwide.

His works have also been exhibited at significant venues, including Mystetskyi Arsenal (Kyiv) and M17 Contemporary Art Center (Kyiv).

Inspiration and Philosophy of Creation

Dulfan's work is characterized by a world of cynical relationships, where color palette and blurred lines prevail. He synthesizes images from different places and characters, creating specific yet fantastic landscapes and personalities. His "fantastic realism" captivates with unconventional painting techniques, complex methods, original textures and compositional solutions, and the novelty of expressive associations.

For him, art is not merely drawing but an integral part of life, an activity he has pursued since the age of five without questioning "why." Lucien Dulfan is convinced that the most important aspects of art are "motivations" and the inner need to create, expressing what "aches." 

Lucien Dulfan continues to be an active participant in the art community. His name is regularly mentioned in the "conceptual artist," "nonconformist artist," "Jewish artist," and "Russian artist" sections of international art information sources. He approaches his fame with humor, finding mentions of himself in various languages and marveling at his presence among global cultural figures.

Publications:

• 1994 – Artists – "Literaturnaya Gazeta." Second Collection.
• 1992 – "Glastnost Under Glass. Gorbachev from the Artist’s Perspective."

Lucien Dulfan is a talented artist, a phenomenon who unites deep personal experience with powerful creative energy, creating art that compels contemplation and feeling.