FEDKOVIC NIKOLAJ

Winner of the Prize named after Miklos Kaplar (2013), "The Crystal Wing" (Krištáľové krídlo) Prize in Fine Arts (2016).

He was born on 13 May 1945 in Uzhhorod. A few years later his family moved to the Slovak town of Michalovce. In his early childhood, Nikolaj demonstrated his skills to painting, so he was sent to study at the private school of painting Antala Lucziho. Then he studied at the secondary school of applied arts in Brno in “Interior Design" and "Scenography" specialities. From 1965 to 1972, he studied at the University of Applied Arts in Prague at the professors Tröstr and Z. Sklenář. In 1976 – 1989, he was teaching at the Kosice School of Applied Arts. In 1989, he settled in the German city Bergisch Gladbach, where he was teaching at Rhein-Sieg Kunst Akademie during 20 years. Now the artist has returned to Slovakia. He lives and works in Kosice.

During the Prague studies, the Dutch artists of the 17th century had a significant influence on the creation of the artist's painting style. The artist is a great supporter of figurative painting. He is fond of the art association of the Pre-Raphaelites, Leipzig art school, and of the works of the artist Werner Tübke. Art historians note the significant contribution of Nikolaj Fedkovic to the surreal and new-figurative lines of Slovak art since the 1960s.

Nikolaj Fedkovic says about his works as follows: "I like to combine realistic and abstract elements in the works. And it's not a photographic copy of reality, as it seems at first glance, but rather a combination of one's own life and art experience with feelings."

The personal exhibition of the artist titled "Nikolaj Fedkovic TOUR" was presented in the Uzhhorod ILKO gallery in 2016. In the press releases to the exhibition, it was stated that Nikolaj Fedkovic is considered to be an aristocrat of art because his works can convince everyone that classical painting is still relevant and able to surprise with simplicity, history, and charm.

Oleksandr Nikitchuk