Story 3: The Ironic Nonconformist

Vitalii Kulikov consistently sought his own paths in form, plasticity, and symbolism. His graphics and painting often avoided overtly ideological narratives, turning instead to reflection and to questions of form and meaning. This approach, though not always explicitly political, did not fit within the dogmas of Socialist Realism or Soviet artistic norms. As a result, it automatically placed the artist in opposition to official standards.

Yet Kulikov’s nonconformism took the shape of a philosophical joke rather than open confrontation. A deep sense of irony allowed him to maintain autonomy and continue building his own artistic world.

A vivid example of this ironic nonconformism is the work Presidium. In 1991, during Kulikov’s solo exhibition at the Ukrainian House in Kyiv, the painting was hung in a way that allowed it to be easily removed without disrupting the exhibition. When communists visited the show, the work was taken down; when democrats arrived, it was put back on display.

Kulikov himself described the piece as follows:
“On the eve of holidays, certain ‘subjects’ sit at a table on the stage, while a mass of workers stares at them from the hall. The subjects deliver speeches. No one, of course, listens. To push the situation into complete absurdity, I introduced a nude woman into the composition. As truth. She sits there naked, while they carry on with their posturing.”

Ironic, isn’t it?