Petro Bevza. The Summer of Saint Martin

Petro Bevza. A one-man orchestra. An architect by education, he writes film scripts, edited the first Ukrainian magazines on contemporary art, organized "Ukrainian-French Meetings," and built the first art objects/installations in Ukraine.

But painting — painting, painting! — is his passion, his thirst, his obsession. He has received numerous international awards and prizes and is one of the leading Ukrainian painters. In his art, he seeks a distinctly Ukrainian dimension within the space of contemporary art.

Opening: November 8, Saturday, 16:00–19:00 at the Triptych Art Gallery. The exhibition will last until November 28.

Instead of a concept statement for the exhibition "The Summer of Saint Martin"

I was preparing for an exhibition at the "Triptych Art" gallery, scheduled to open on November 11.

While searching for words about energies and lines of force, about the color of Kyiv’s night sky, about the flight of spider threads over the hills of Velykyi Pereviz and the asceticism of the marble shores of Croatian Rogoznica, a melody began to spin in my head — Joe Dassin’s "L’été indien."

"Indian Summer"! That’s the name of the exhibition!

Then I remembered that in France, Indian summer is called The Summer of Saint Martin. The term is linked to the feast of Saint Martin of Tours, celebrated on November 11!

According to legend, when the relics of Saint Martin were transferred to Tours in 397, a miracle occurred — the bushes in the city blossomed.

Martin of Tours had been a Roman officer, later became a Christian priest, and the founder of chaplaincy. He was endowed with the charisma to bring people back to life, to heal muteness and blindness — and the gift of recognizing true spirituality. He could not be deceived by false piety.

"Go. And think. And grieve.
On the spider’s thread — a spider,
Alone between space and time,
A bow of earth on the strings of heaven."

Perhaps I wrote this about Saint Martin of Tours?

Or about Saint Vitalii Skakun, who gave his life by blowing up the Henichesk bridge on February 24, 2022, allowing Ukrainian units time to organize their defense?

Or about Saint Oleksandr Matsievskyi, who was executed by Russian occupiers after shouting "Glory to Ukraine!"?

I want to believe so.

And the titles of the paintings I prepared for the exhibition came together into a poem:

Exhale – Gift. A Well for the Thirsty.
The Rediscovery of the Nightingale Symphony.
Sky – Weaver.
Healer of Thickets.
Heavenrise – Key.
Sea Rider or Demon of Heels and Fury?
Immeasurable Healing – WE.

Petro Bevza