KHODANYCH PETRO

Member of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine (1984), National Union of Folk Art Masters of Ukraine (1995). One of the founders of the Association of Professional Artists of Transcarpathia. Laureate of the Regional Prize named after Y. Bokshai and A. Erdeli (2017).

He was born in Rakovo village of Perechyn district, Transcarpathian region. He studied at the Uzhhorod School of Applied Arts (1966-1970) and Moscow Literary Institute named after M. Gorky (1974-1980). He taught at the Uzhhorod School of Applied Arts and Uzhhorod Natural Sciences and Humanitarian College.

His family was talented enough: his father was good at wood processing, and his mother weaved, embroidered, had a beautiful voice. Petro Khodanych liked painting and making various sculptures from clay since his childhood. "When I went to the sixth grade, Zoltan Bakoniia came to the village, chose some of my drawings from the school exhibition and offered me to attend his studio of fine art," the master writes in his autobiography. Then he studied at Uzhhorod School of Applied Arts at leading Transcarpathian masters of carving –  Vasyl Svyda, and sculpture – Ivan Harapko.

The period of army service, when Petro Khodanych served as a grenade launcher in a motorized infantry division, was also associated with creativity: he designed a museum of military glory, made sculptures on military subjects, namely the memorials of the Heroes of the Soviet Union, died in the battles. They, in particular, can still be seen on the territory of the military brigade in Mukachevo.

In his creativity, the artist uses the folk themes, demonstrates ethnic and cultural traditions of the Transcarpathians. The sculptor was able to crystallize his own author's style, which distinguishes him from among other masters. The work in the Transcarpathian Art Fund of Ukraine with F. Manailo, A. Kotska, V. Svyda contributed to the formation of his artistic "self". The master works in the field of monumental and decorative sacred carvings – the author of iconostases, coats of arms, thrones, altars, etc. in the sacral buildings of the region. In addition, the carver developed a project of iconostasis reconstruction in the Church of the Holy Spirit in Kolochava village.

Petro Khodanych is also a talented novelist, pedagogue, scientist. Laureate of numerous literary awards, Honoured Pedagogue of Ukraine.

Since 1973, Petro Khodanych is an active participant in regional and republican exhibitions (Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Romania). Compositions of small wooden plastics are stored in the private collections of Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia, France, Italy, England, Israel, and the USA.