Grekov Odessa Art School

Coordinates: 46°29′16″N 30°44′0″E / 46.48778°N 30.73333°E / 46.48778; 30.73333

Main Building

The Grekov Odessa Art school (Ukrainian: Одеське художнє училище імені М. Б. Грекова, Russian: Оде́сское худо́жественное учи́лище имени М. Б. Гре́кова; abbreviated ОХУ) is a secondary education institution in Odessa, Ukraine. It is the oldest arts school in the country.

History[]

The Grekov Odessa Art school was founded as a "drawing school" on May 30, 1865. Frederick Malman was its first principal. He drafted the rules of the school. It was an open Society of Fine Arts under the patronage of wealthy citizens of Odessa and the Russian Empire. Its patrons included S.M.Vorontsov, Governor-General P.L.Kotzebue, Odessa's mayor N.A.Novoselsky, knyazes Gagarin, Manuc Bei, Tolstoy family, Italian General Consul Castile, as well as famous architects F.Boffo, O.I.Otton and F.V.Gonsiorovsky.

For twenty years, the school survived on donations and had no permanent address. The Vice President of Odessa Society of Fine Arts Franz Morandi became involved in its funding. The first plaster casts, prints, models were discharged to him from the Milan Academy of Fine Arts, with which he had good relations.

On May 22, 1883, outside Preobrazheskaya str., the cornerstone of the art school was laid. In 1885 the school moved to its current premises. On December 30, 1899, the sponsor approved the charter and the state of the Art School. Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich was a sponsor of the school for 25 years until he died in 1909. Until 1917, the Odessa Art School had the name of Grand Duke. In 1924 the school was renamed the Polytechnic College of Fine Arts, which prepared muralists, printers and potters. In 1930, Polytechnic College was renamed again to an Art Institute (high education), but in 1934 the Odessa Art Institute once again became a secondary education school.

In 1965, in honour of the school's 100th-anniversary, it was renamed for M.B. Grekov; one of its former pupils.

In 1993, the school caught fire, and an assembly hall and a library burned.

In 1997, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine issued a decree "On improvement of higher vocational education." It was based on the former art school created by the Odessa Theatre and Art School, which presents separation: artistic, educational, theatrical and folk art.

Education[]

Today the Grekov Odessa Art school has a fine art focus with 4 departments: Paintings (Живопис) (живопись), Sculpture (Скульптура) (скульптура), Art decoration environment (ceramics, batik) (Художнє декорування середовища) (художественное декорирование среды) and Design (artwork) (Дизайн) (дизайн).

In 2015 the school had 259 students. They form groups from 6 to 10 people.

The course lasts 4 years of full time study.

Notable alumni[]

References[]

External links[]

website (in Ukrainian and Russian)
the state at Marth 2015