A to Z Challenge, artist

Zenaida Gourievna Booyakovitch, aka Zuka

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Zowie! On this last day of the A to Z Challenge, I have found an artist named Zuka whose work I really think is wonderful.

Zenaida Gourievna Booyakovitch, aka Zuka, is a painter, born in Los Angeles, but who has lived and worked in France for many years.

ZUKAPortrait2

–one of the few pictures I found of Zuka on the internet

zuka autoportrait 1948 oil on linen 73x35cm

—Self Portrait, 1948, oil on canvas, 73 x 35 cm

Zuka was born in 1924, so she is now 91 years old. Her parents came from Russia in the 1910s to escape the Russian Revolution. Zuka attended the University of Southern California and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts. In 1948, she decided to move to Paris to try to sell more of her paintings. Zuka met and married Louis Mitelberg, aka TIM, a political cartoonist.

In the early part of her art career, Zuka focused on portraits. She then moved to more historical works and changed her color palette to more brighter colors. Zuka has always emphasized strong women in her art. Zuka has had many showing at galleries in Los Angeles and New York, as well as many showings in Paris and other cities in France.

Some of Zuka’s paintings:

Taurillon au printemps 1999

—Taurillon au printemps, 1999, oil on canvas, 130 x 89 cm

samuel beckett 1976 oil linen collage 46 38 cm

—Samuel Beckett, 1976, oil on canvas collage, 46 x 38 cm

Marat et charlotte corday 1974 acrylic and collage linen 130 89

—Marat et Charlotte Corday, 1974, acrylic on canvas collage, 130 x 89 cm

charlotte corday assassinates marat 1987 oil lin 100 by 100

—Charlotte Corday Assassinates Marat, 1987, oil on canvas, 100 by 100 cm

john smith and poca 1968 oil-linen

—John Smith and Pocahantas, 1968, oil on canvas, 195 x 37 cm

—Crows on the Snow, 2006, oil on canvas, 60 x 120 cm

calamity jane 1968 oil linen 130 89 cm

—Calamity Jane, 1968, oil on canvas, 130 x 89 cm

Zuka’s website (in French)

I believe Zuka is underappreciated in the United States—there is really not very much about her on the internet in English–but she is an American artist.

Ok, that it for M. Denise Costello’s edition of the A to Z Challenge! Until next year!

  4 comments for “Zenaida Gourievna Booyakovitch, aka Zuka”

  1. Hi Denise .. what a wonderful artist to find .. I loved the Crows on the Snow .. but generally a fascinating woman .. and yes I agree she should be acknowledged in English in the States ..

    Congratulations on finishing off the Challenge with a wonderful Z … cheers Hilary

  2. Hey, Hilary! Thank you so much for your support and comments during this challenge! I hope you come back and visit and comment often! All in all, the month went by very fast. I loved discovering all of the new artists. I leaned more towards artists than authors. Maybe because they had more visuals. Take care, Denise

    Also, there should be a reflection post sometime in May on our thoughts on the challenge.

  3. Denise, a most wonderful Z post to bring your month-long delightful blogging to a fine conclusion. I too like this artist. Am always amazed by self-portraits, by the way in which artists see themselves. Very talented. Congrats in finishing a grueling month of blogging. A lot to be proud of, and thank you for providing such an interesting topic. I feel I learned a lot, and also feel this is a great place to return to for future reference. Now, a little rest! See you soon, Silvia. Hugs.

    • Thank you for all your comments and support, Silvia! It was a long and interesting month, but I am so glad it is now over!

      I will miss searching for new artists, however!

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