Oleg Shupliak

Like an allegory, or a metaphor, images are able to tell stories without words. The main character yells just a few centimeters behind the canvas, where his soul and spirit are trapped, just as if it was a watermark or a secret. At first it resembles an image, then two, then a whole lot of them, up until the point where they reveal a face, an emotion, a thought that symbolizes what takes place in the background, or even at the forefront. Upon the endless layering that comprises several interpretations and meanings, in a series of images with double meaning capable of awakening our senses.

He requires us to think, to imagine, to bring together lines and traces, to mentally uncover shapes and colors through light and shadow, in a progressive sequence, from the first to the last plane. We see ourselves partially closing our eyelids in order to have a better view, tilting our head to see if we can unveil a new perspective from a fresh point of view, gradually analyzing everything, compulsively exploring the composition as a whole, abiding by a desire to discover, to permanently learn and to ask him to reveal yet again.

Oleg channels our attention in several acts: first you’re going to look to this and then to that, which takes you to some other outcome, and so on… until you reach some other conclusion, perceiving how wrong you were before.

Oleg is a Master of Illusion. He’s like an elixir that gives us access to a dream world without having to go through the rabbit’s lair. He pulls the rabbit out of the hat and with a magic gesture he goes: Now you see it, now you don’t.

By Pedro Boaventura • Excerpt from Masters of Painting - Volume 1

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Oleg Shupliak is one of the most famous Ukrainian artists. His popularity in the world came along with his series of artworks consisting of unique and unusual illusions with double meaning, where he skillfully and masterly combines two genres - portrait and landscape.

These two storylines always logically linked. Due to this peculiar and distinctive style of the artist, he is often called the "Ukrainian Salvador Dali". Oleg Shupliak lives and works in a small historical town in Western Ukraine called Berezhany. He basically lives as a reclusive artistic hermit.

Nevertheless, his work is seen and appreciated by many at different levels. In 2013, he received the International Foundation "Cultural Heritage award at St Petersburg. Oleg Shupliak won a gold medal for the “Creation of Skills and Unique Style in Art". In the same year, he won the national contest for the best logo for the 200th anniversary of Taras Shevchenko.

Since 1991, Oleg takes part in many exhibitions. His personal exhibitions were held in Kiev, Chernigov, and St. Petersburg as well as in foreign countries such as the United Kingdom, Denmark, etc. There are many publications about the artists’ work in domestic and international newspapers, magazines and textbooks.

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Oleg Shupliak

Oleg Shupliak - Video