| Michael Kmit | |
|---|---|
Michael Kmit in 1975 |
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| Born | 25 July 1910 Stryi, Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria |
| Died | 22 May 1981 (aged 70) Sydney, Australia |
| Nationality | Ukrainian Australian |
| Training | Kraków Academy of Fine Arts |
| Movement | neo-Byzantine, Cubism, Constructivism |
| Works | Evangelist John Mark, The Voice of Silence, Philopena |
| Influenced by | Byzantine icons |
| Awards | Blake Prize (1954), Sulman Prize (1957 and 1970) |
Michael Kmit (Ukrainian: Михайло Кміт) (*25 July 1910, Stryi, — †22 May 1981 Sydney, Australia) was a Ukrainian painter who spent twenty-five of his most productive years in Australia. He is notable for introducing a neo-Byzantine style of painting to Australia, and winning a number of major Australian art prizes including the Blake Prize (1952) and the Sulman Prize (in both 1957 and 1970). In 1969 the Australian artist and art critic James Gleeson described Kmit as “one of the most sumptuous colourists of our time”.[1]
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Michael Kmit studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, Cracow, but due to the conflict in World War II, he was forced to leave his homeland and found himself a displaced person. He studied art under Fernand Léger in Paris, and Carlo Carrà in Italy,[2] before emigrating to Australia in 1949, as part of the Australian Government's immigration scheme. Kmit was contracted to work in Sydney for two years in a job selected for him by the Australian Government's employment service.[3] He initially worked at a cement factory in Villawood, New South Wales, but after Kmit met the artists James Gleeson and Paul Haefliger, who were impressed with his work, he was introduced to other artists including Donald Friend and Russell Drysdale. His artist friends later helped him find lodgings and work nearer to the artist community in Sydney. Painting at night, during the day Kmit worked as a railway porter[4] and cleaner[5] while he established himself "as one of Australia's best artists" of the time.[6]
Kmit's images, inspired by the Byzantine style of religious icon painting, were well received in Australia for their fresh approach and new subjects. Labeled neo-Byzantine, his paintings integrated stylized portraiture with geometric cubist and constructivist forms, patterns and vivid color.
During the 1950s, before leaving for the United States at the latter end of the decade, Kmit was a major influence on many artists, particularly those of the Sydney Charm School.[7] Gleeson described Kmit as “one of the most sumptuous colourists of our time”.[1] Paul Haefliger wrote:“Of all the foreign aspirants to art who have visited these shores since the war, Michael Kmit is the only one who has made an impression on the present generation of painters.”[8]
After winning a string of awards including the Blake Prize (1953) and the Sulman Prize (1957), he left Australia for the United States. His American period did not result in a lot of success and he went through a period of depression. Returning in 1965 his style and format had changed and the high praise for his work was replaced with cautious criticism. However, by the time "Cassandra" (1979) was painted, only two years before his death, Kmit had returned to the previous vigour of his 1950s works.[9]
Between 1950 and 1981 Michael Kmit exhibited in numerous group shows throughout the Australian States of Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales and South Australia, including selections for the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes. Kmit was an honorary member, and exhibited with the Ukrainian Artists Society of Australia.
A selection of exhibitions included: