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Beata Kurkul

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Beata Kurkul
Born (1979-01-21) January 21, 1979 (age 45)
Vilnius, Lithuania
NationalityPolish
Citizenship Lithuania
Alma materVilnius College (doctor, 1998-2001)
Vilnius Pedagogical University (historian, 2001-2005)
Occupation(s)artist, volunteer
EmployerGrandMA Studiosd
Known forpictures of Ukrainian military servicemen
SpouseMykola Avdieiev

Beata Kurkul (Lithuanian: Beata Kurkul, Ukrainian: Беата Куркуль, born 21 January 1979 in Vilnius, Lithuania) is a Ukrainian artist and volunteer of Lithuanian-Polish origin, known for her numerous images of Ukrainian border guards and other Ukrainian military servicemen or participants of the Russo-Ukrainian War.[1][2]

Biography

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Beata Kurkul was born on 21 January 1979 in Vilnius into a Polish family. Her mother was a chemist and her father was an engineer. Beata was named after the favorite actress of her father: Beata Tyszkiewicz.[3] In 1997 she graduated from an art school, but went for a higher education in the field of medicine, at Vilnius College.[4] She has worked as a nurse for some time, until occupational burnout forced her to leave this profession.

Beata became a fan of the film franchise "Star Wars" and began to spend a lot of time on fan-forums. At the end of 2004, Beata went to Kyiv to visit another "Star Wars" fan, her future husband, Mykola Avdieiev, a Ukrainian, whom she had previously met on the Internet forum. In 2007, he proposed to her and in 2008 they got married. The couple then had to decide on their place of residence: Lithuania or Ukraine. They decided to live together in Ukraine. The main factor influencing their decision was language: it would be much easier for Beata, who spoke Russian and understood Ukrainian because of its similarity to Polish (which she also spoke), to adapt in Ukraine, than for her husband to adapt in Lithuania.

While yet living in Lithuania and working as a nurse, Beata returned to her childhood hobby - drawing. She was motivated by her passion for "Star Wars": she started drawing fan art related to this fantasy universe. After moving to Ukraine, she got a job of a concept artist in the field of video game development, in which she still works, having reached a position of an art director. In 2008-2011 she worked at the "ERS Game Studio" company, in 2011–2018 at "Rightcom United LP", and from 2018 on she works at "GrandMA Studios" (whose products include "Mystery Case Files", a popular game serie).[5]

When in 2014 the Russian armed aggression against Ukraine began, her husband began helping the Ukrainian military as a volunteer. After some time, when her husband became very overloaded with volunteer work, Beata began to help him a bit, and later she completely immersed into volunteer activities herself. When Ukrainian border guards in the Luhansk Oblast came under severe criticism from society for their alleged hesitancy, the couple decided to focus their efforts on helping the border guards.[6] The couple made efforts to provide military personnel with equipment (in particular, helmets, body armor and optical devices), medicine, uniforms and footwear.[7]

Art

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"Sunrise", 2022

Beata's art on the topic of Ukrainian border guards and military servicemen began with a cartoon of border guard Roman Dumyak, who served at the Krasna Talivka border checkpoint. The couple fundraised money to purchase a collimator for this serviceman, and Beata drew a cartoon of him on the box with collimator, taking a photo from social media as a basis.[6] The first serious drawing on this topic appeared after the couple visited a military hospital, where the artist was inspired to create a picture of a Ukrainian border guard. This was followed by other drawings. In the beginning, in addition to the desire for creative expression, she was also motivated to draw by the opportunity to mock her Russian peers. According to Beata, popularity came to her when her drawings were reposted by the Facebook page of the "Right Sector".[8]

Over the years of her creative activity, there have been several dozen exhibitions of her works, including the exhibition at the Boryspil Airport in 2015,[9] exhibitions at the Kharkiv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre[10] in the Kuindzhi Center for Contemporary Art and Culture in Mariupol in 2016,[11] an exhibition in Palanok Castle in Mukachevo in 2017,[1] an exhibition in Izmail in 2019,[12][13] in Chop in 2020 and so on.[14] During the full scale Russian invasion of Ukraine she regularly took her exhibitions to the frontline towns. In the middle of 2023, an exhibition of her works was held in the courtyard of the Seimas Palace (Parliament building) in Vilnius,[15][16] and also in one of the biggest malls of Vilnius.[17]

She regularly visits places where border guards are stationed, where she also holds exhibitions of her works, at the same time collecting plots and inspiration for further works.[18] Beata gathers ideas for her works by observing border guards work, looking at photos of their service or listening to their stories.[13]

Some of Beata's pictures became significantly more popular than others, for example "Daddy's daughter" (picture of a border guard with his little daughter), "Life goes on" (picture of a girl in a border guard's beret), "Defending the border" (picture of three border guards and a dog next to a border marker), "Paladin" (drawing of a soldier with a sword) or "Paramedics" (picture of a military paramedic with angel wings).

In 2021, the publishing house "Vydavnytstvo" published the comic book "On a big land", which tells a story about the return of a Ukrainian soldier back to civilian life after being wounded. The drawings for this book were made by Beata Kurkul.[19] Before that, in 2020, two compilation albums of her works were published: "Always on guard" and "Four Elements of the Border".[20][21]

On 25 August 2015, at the Krasna Talivka checkpoint, a monument was opened dedicated to four border guards who died in a battle with a Russian reconnaissance group exactly one year before. Beata Kurkul developed a sketch of this monument.[22]

In 2022 she gained even bigger popularity when she published drawings about the war in Ukraine, created by her using Midjourney neural network.[23][24] According to Beata herself, she does not strive for photorealism in her works, it is more important for her to convey emotions and an atmosphere. For this, for example, she often uses mythological or magical motifs.[15]

Although she is often called a Lithuanian artist, she identifies herself as a Ukrainian artist:

When it is said that I am a Ukrainian artist, it is not just partly true, it is completely true. Because in Lithuania I was a nurse. Me being an artist, I attribute exactly to Ukraine, because as an artist I formed and developed here.
Когда говорят, что я украинская художница, в этом даже не доля правды, это полностю правда. Потому что в Литве я была медсестрой. То, что я стала художницей, это заслуга именно Украины, поскольку как художник я сформировалась и развилась именно здесь.[6]

—Beata Kurkul

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "У замку "Паланок" відкрили виставку художниці, яка малює прикордонників" [An exhibition of an artist, who draws border guards, was opened in Palanok Castle] (in Ukrainian). Ukrinform. 27 July 2017. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Українська війна очима іноземних митців: неймовірні фото" [The Ukrainian war through the eyes of foreign artists: incredible photos] (in Ukrainian). 24 Kanal. 19 September 2019. Archived from the original on 6 March 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  3. ^ Maistrenko, Viktoria (24 November 2020). "На Майдан приїхали троє росіян. Лікарка із Сибіру пішла працювати до волонтерів" [Three Russians came to the Maidan. A doctor from Siberia went to work for the volunteers.] (in Ukrainian). Gazeta.ua. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Художниця з Литви малює картини про українських воїнів. ФОТО" [An artist from Lithuania draws pictures of Ukrainian warriors (photos)] (in Ukrainian). ВолиньPost. 12 October 2020. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  5. ^ Horbik, Viktoria (21 January 2022). "Медсестра переїхала до Києва з Литви, і тепер малює комп'ютерні ігри топової gamedev студії. Як їй живеться в Україні" [A nurse moved to Kyiv from Lithuania, and now draws computer games for a top gamedev studio. What her life in Ukraine looks like.] (in Ukrainian). dev.ua. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022. (same article in Russian)
  6. ^ a b c Troian, Valentyna (3 August 2021). ""Загинув мій брат. Можете його намалювати?" — історія Беати Куркуль, яка зображує українських прикордонників" ["My brother has died. Can you draw him?" — the story of Beata Kurkul, who portrays Ukrainian border guards] (in Ukrainian). Hromadske Radio. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  7. ^ Soroka, Hanna (10 May 2015). "Зачем Беата рисует пограничников" [Why Beata draws border guards] (in Russian). Ukrainska Pravda: Life. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Беата Куркуль: "Цю дружбу я не проміняю ні на що!"" [Beata Kurkul: "I wouldn't trade this friendship for anything!"] (in Ukrainian). State Border Service of Ukraine. 9 December 2016. Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  9. ^ Shulha, Olha (21 July 2015). "В аеропорту "Бориспіль" відкрилася виставка картин про українських прикордонників на війні" [An exhibition of paintings about Ukrainian wartime border guards has opened at Boryspil airport] (in Ukrainian). Dzerkalo Tyzhnia. Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  10. ^ "Відкрилася виставка литовської художниці Беати Куркуль "Кордон"" [The exhibition "Border" of the Lithuanian artist Beata Kurkul has opened] (in Ukrainian). NGO «Union of Anti-terrorist Operation veterans». 12 May 2017. Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  11. ^ Sokolova, Olena (17 September 2016). "В Мариуполе презентовали выставку в 2D-формате о пограничниках" [A 2D-exhibition about border guards was presented in Mariupol]. 0629.com.ua (in Russian). 0629.com.ua. Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.(in Russian)
  12. ^ "Литовська художниця Беата Куркуль побувала в Ізмаїлі" [Lithuanian artist Beata Kurkul have visited Izmail] (in Ukrainian). State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. 30 September 2019. Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  13. ^ a b "Кордон Держави" Беата Куркуль (20.10.2019) ["Border of a State" Beata Kurkul] on YouTube (in Ukrainian)
  14. ^ Moroz, Veronika (29 February 2020). "25 картин із зображенням українських прикордонників представили у Чопі" [25 pictures depicting Ukrainian border guards were presented in Chop] (in Ukrainian). Suspilne. Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  15. ^ a b Vėta, Nerijus (2023). "Ukrainos kovai skirta paroda "AŠ – GYVA"" [The exhibition «I am alive», dedicated to the Ukrainian struggle] (in Lithuanian). Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  16. ^ Joteikaitė, Evelina (26 August 2023). "Pasieniečių dailininke vadinama Beata Kurkul: Ukrainoje viskas šaukia apie gyvenimą, net ir pati žemė" (in Lithuanian). Delfi. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  17. ^ Medvedenko, Lesia (17 May 2023). "Мої картини покликані нагадати європейцям, що війна зовсім поряд — Беата Куркуль" [My paintings are meant to remind Europeans that the war is just around the corner - Beata Kurkul] (in Ukrainian). ArmyInform. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  18. ^ "Прикордонник Житомирського загону: "Після спілкування з Беатою Куркуль на картини дивлюсь по новому"" [Border guard of the Zhytomyr detachment: "After talking with Beata Kurkul, I see [her] paintings in a new way"] (in Ukrainian). State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. 18 March 2019. Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Комікс "На великій землі"" ["On a big land" comic book] (in Ukrainian). United Nations Development Programme. 15 March 2021. Archived from the original on 16 March 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  20. ^ "Цінний подарунок: Придунайській філії ПрАТ "ВНЗ «МАУП" передано в дар ілюстрований альманах "Завжди на захисті", створений Б. Куркуль" [A valuable gift: [a copy of] the illustrated almanac "Always on guard", created by B. Kurkul, was presented as a gift to the Danube branch of the Interregional Academy of Personnel Management] (in Ukrainian). Interregional Academy of Personnel Management, Danube branch. 2 November 2020. Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  21. ^ Post about the "On a big land" comic book on the official page of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine on Facebook (in Ukrainian)
  22. ^ "На Луганщині відкрили пам'ятник загиблим минулого року прикордонникам відділу "Красна Талівка"" [A monument to border guards of the "Krasna Talivka" department who died last year was opened in Luhansk Oblast] (in Ukrainian). State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. 25 August 2015. Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  23. ^ Pinchuk, Sviatoslav (1 August 2022). "How Ukrainian Artist Beata Kurkul uses AI to create masterpieces people love". tradecrypto.com. Archived from the original on 4 August 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  24. ^ Medvedenko, Lesia (11 August 2022). "Ілюстрації війни за допомогою штучного інтелекту створює художниця з Литви" [An artist from Lithuania creates illustrations about the war using artificial intelligence] (in Ukrainian). ArmyInform. Archived from the original on 2022-08-13. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
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