YEVHEN PROKOPOV

1950

Yevhen Prokopov is a Ukrainian sculptor who, in recent decades, has also been actively working in the United States.

The son of painter Yosyp Prokopov, he studied under Vasyl Borodai at the Kyiv State Art Institute, graduating in 1975, and later completed his postgraduate studies at the USSR Academy of Arts in 1980. He works in the field of monumental and easel sculpture, employing bronze, polished steel, aluminum, stone, glass, and composite media.

Prokopov was the first in Ukraine to use mirror-polished steel in sculpture (1995) and, in reliefs, experimented with the accidental effects of galvanically treated copper sheets (1988). His oeuvre engages with profound philosophical themes and often turns to biblical subjects. A central motif in his religious art is the image of Christ and the symbol of the Crucifixion, which he interprets in an innovative way: in Prokopov’s vision, Christ never touches the vertical axis of the cross. This image recurs throughout his work, with nearly twenty variations on the theme created over the years.

His sculptures are marked by a meticulous exploration of material properties, an emphasis on surface textures, original and sometimes unique experiments with patina, and the expressive use of spatial pauses. Many of his works are composed of multiple fragments, each of which possesses artistic autonomy: when enlarged in scale, each fragment can stand alone as a complete visual experience—a hallmark of true artistic value.

Monumental Works in Ukraine

The Muse of Architecture (1978) — an allegorical figure installed on the facade of the Central House of Artists in Kyiv.
Prometheus (1988) — a monumental composition for the facade of the Taras Shevchenko National Museum, created for the 175th anniversary of Shevchenko’s birth. The sculpture symbolizes self-sacrifice and the indomitable national spirit. Today, in the context of war, Shevchenko’s hovering figure—pointing to the devastated land below—resonates with new urgency, as prophecy, warning, and call to resilience.
Memory (1988) — installed near the Refectory Church of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery to commemorate the millennium of the Christianization of Kyivan Rus, a decade before the cathedral’s reconstruction. Dedicated to the sacred site destroyed by the Soviet regime, the work survived thanks in large part to the moral authority of writer Oles Honchar, and later became integrated into the restored monastery complex. Over time, the sculpture came to be popularly known as To the Victims of Faith.
Atlantes (The Path of Knowledge, 1989) — installed near the Physics Department of Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Dedicated to students and faculty, the allegorical piece symbolizes the arduous journey toward truth.

Major Works Abroad

Toward Victory (Cyclists, 2008) — a bronze sculpture installed on the campus of the Lite-On Corporation in Taipei, Taiwan. This large-scale reinterpretation of the 1986 collaborative work Cyclists (with Mykola Oliynyk) followed the sale of the original version at Sotheby’s in 2004.
Monument to Cardinal Josyf Slipyj (2009) — installed before the Cathedral of Saints Volodymyr and Olha in Chicago, marking the parish’s 40th anniversary and honoring a spiritual leader whose life embodied resilience of faith and national dignity.
Memorial to the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred (2015) — Bloomingdale, Illinois, USA. The first and only professionally created monument dedicated to the Revolution of Dignity, not only in the United States but worldwide.

Exhibitions

Yevhen Prokopov has exhibited since 1978. His solo shows have been held at major museums, cultural institutions, and galleries in Europe and the United States, including:

1990 — Information Center, Leipzig (Germany)
1992 — Central Music Library, Odense (Denmark)
1993 — Roman Shuper Gallery, Munich (Germany)
1994 — Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, Chicago
1996 — Ukrainian Institute of America, New York
1996, 2001 — Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, Chicago
1997 — Hôtel du Rhône, Geneva (Switzerland)
2004 — Ukrainian National Museum, Chicago; Embassy of Ukraine, Washington, D.C.
1994, 2007 — National Art Museum of Ukraine, Kyiv

In 1996, 1997, and 1998, Prokopov participated in the Salon d’Automne in Paris, one of the most prestigious international exhibitions of contemporary art.