Image: David Burliuk, Woman with Rooster (1951).

It has been a month since the Russian military began its assault on Ukraine. So, for our weekly art posting we return to the overall theme of the sources of food, but also tie it to contemporary events. At a time when Ukraine is taking steps to protect its cultural heritage, we highlight a work by a Ukrainian artist evocative of the country’s pastoral life.

David Burliuk was born was born in 1882 near the city of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine. He studied in Odesa and Kazan (1898-1902), at the Munich Royal Academy of Arts (1902-1903) where he befriended Wassily Kandinsky, and at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris (1904). His his professor at the Munich Academy, called him a “wonderful wild steppe horse.” One of many refugees from Ukraine to come to the United States over the years, he fled Russia during World War I, eventually arriving in New York in 1922. He died on Long Island in 1967.

Though a member of the avant-garde and often referred to as the father of Russian Futurism, he was also influenced by Van Gogh. “The inspiration for Burliuk’s later career is found in his love of vitality in all its forms — biological, psychological, and cultural. Whether he was painting his native Ukrainian steppe, Japanese landscapes, Long Island fishing villages, or the streets of New York, he searched for the energy that vibrated and flowed through scenes.” This painting from 1951 is from those later years. This work appears to be available for purchase.

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The primary purpose of this website is to be restaurant guide for Washington, D.C., but sometimes current events require a diversion from that focus. The restaurant community of Washington has been active in its support, led by World Central Kitchen that continues to provide relief.