The Work of Svitlana Yusim (1941–2022) in the Context of Odesa Art

This article explores the work of artist Svitlana Yusim, whose practice emerged within the unofficial art scene of Odesa in the late 1960s–1980s and evolved throughout the 1990s–2000s. Her distinctive approach to abstract painting synthesizes various artistic movements of the second half of the 20th century in a unique way. Although closely connected to the group of artists known in Ukrainian art history as the “Odesa nonconformists,” Yusim’s work is distinguished by an independent emotional, plastic, and aesthetic vision. Her artistic output—including painting, graphics, collage, and wall painting—reveals her path of creative self-awareness and the articulation of a personal artistic language. Still relatively unknown to the general public, Yusim’s work represents a significant chapter in national art history, enriching our understanding of the era and adding new dimensions to its artistic landscape.