Zinovyev & Zinovyev Exhibit at Alexander Gardens in Santa Barbara

Artist Father and Son Unite to Support Ukraine

Credit: Courtesy
Credit: Courtesy

Father and son Ukrainian artists, Olexandr Zinovyev and Olexandr Zinovyev (senior and junior) — recent arrivals to Santa Barbara — will exhibit their work at Alexander Gardens Assisted Living (2120 Santa Barbara St.) on July 14 from 3-5 p.m. The artists will donate the proceeds from the event to the Ukrainian efforts.

Olexandr Sr., a graduate of the Krupskaya Art University in Moscow, works in a variety of mediums, using caricatures to bring visual humor to political context. His work, which has been exhibited in art museums in Ukraine, Poland, France, Turkey, and Belgium, eventually struck a nerve with pro-Russian Ukrainian officials, forcing him to move to the U.S. in 2016, where he received political refugee status. His wife Tatiana left their hometown of Vasilevka at the end of April 2022, after it was heavily bombarded by Russian troops. She is currently in Western Ukraine, close to the Polish border, and hoping to reunite with her family in Santa Barbara soon.

Olexandr Jr. (who studied graphic design at the Zaporizhzhia National University, and graduated in 2020) is a prolific calligraphy artist, specializing in creating murals in public buildings and community spaces that are enjoyed and admired by the public at large. He also has over 1,000 works on canvas. As Russia was preparing for invasion, Olexandr left Ukraine through Poland, before joining his father in Santa Barbara in April, 2022.

See alexandergardensal.com/activities/events/.