BELEN MYKHAILO

Honoured Artist of Ukraine (2002). The laureate of the National Prize named after M. Ostrovskyi (1989), Laureate of the Regional Prize named after D. Vakarov. Member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine (1984), the National Union of Journalists (1996) and the National Union of Designers (2006).

He was born in Liskovets village, Mizhhiria district, Transcarpathia. From 1967 to 1971, the artist studied at the Uzhhorod School of Applied Arts. His teachers were Ivan Harapko, Vasyl Svyda, Vilmosh Berets, and Illia Chepa. From 1977 to 1983, he studied at the Kyiv State Art Institute, with his teachers being Vasyl Borodai, Valentyn Borysenko, Ivan Makohon, and Valentyn Shvetsov. His post-graduate education was during 1986-1989 in the academic studios of the Academy of Arts of the USSR under the leadership of Vasyl Borodai. Mykhailo Belen is PhD of History of Arts, professor, Honoured Artist of Ukraine, academician of the Ukrainian International Academy of Original Ideas.

Mykhailo most fully revealed his talent in sculpture, monumental works. And although he is considered to be a supporter of academicism, the artist has the author's vision, which complements the classical reproduction, gives it distinction, uniqueness. Among a large number of Mykhailo Belen’s creative works, there are nearly three dozen monuments, the most notable are of Oleksandr Dukhnovych in Uzhhorod, Taras Shevchenko in Mukachevo, legendary postman Fedir Feketa in Perechyn, Sandor Petofi in the Mukachevo Castle “Palanok”, dead policemen and others. He is the author of more than 500 medals mostly dedicated to the prominent figures in history, science and world culture. He also developed over 80 memorial plaques created in memory of the well-known figures of the past of our region: the bishops Andrii Bachynskyi and Theodore Romzha, the president of Carpathian Ukraine Avgustyn Voloshyn, the artists Yosyp Bokshai, Adalbert Erdeli, Fedir Manailo, Gabriel Gluck and other prominent personalities.

In addition, Mykhailo Belen is an exquisite graphic artist. Thus, a series of his graphic works "Ethnography of the Carpathians" is a valuable scientific material of the ethnographic nature, which preserves history, archaic, part of the things used by Boikos, Lemkos, Hutsuls, it conveys the spirit of ancestors, their philosophy of being. From the ethnographic cycle, it was created a series of graphic philosophical compositions "Man – The World of Soul – the Universe" (graphic symbolism), which reveals the author as an artist-philosopher, who tries to unravel the deep essence of life. Mykhailo Belen was also the first in Transcarpathia who illustrated the life of T. Shevchenko and O. Dukhnovych in graphics.

Mykhailo is the author of five books: "Fir Cross" (1995), a set of graphic cards "Taras Shevchenko" (1997), "Carpathian Ukraine in Portraits" (1998), "Treasures of Ancestors" (2000), "Oleksandr Dukhnovych" (2003).

Participant in regional, republican, international art exhibitions and festivals. The author of 12 personal exhibitions. The works of the artist are kept in museums of Ukraine, Russia, Italy, France and Slovakia.