Vladimir Kovalchuk

Designers, Guest designer

Vladimir Aleksandrovich Kovalchuk is a Soviet, Canadian, Ukrainian and Russian artist, set designer, painter and teacher. He was born on 22 March 1951 in Volodymyr Volynsky.

He was born into the family of Great Patriotic War veteran, a retired officer Alexander Kovalchuk (1920-2005). Eight years after the birth of their son, the family moved to Lutsk.

Here Vladimir studied for 5 years in an art school, and when he turned 15 he entered the Dnepropetrovsk Art School. In 1970 he graduated from the school specializing in painting. In 1974 he entered the Latvian Academy of Art, where he received his master's degree in painting and scenography.

In 1981-1988 Vladimir was the set designer at the Riga Youth Theatre. Within these years he designed the set and properties for the following productions: «Mowgli» by Rudyard Kipling, «The Miracle Worker» by William Gibson, «The Waltz Invention» by Vladimir Nabokov, «Democracy!» by Joseph Brodsky and others.

In1986 Kovalchuk began collaborating with director Anatoly Vasiliev: «Variations of Sugar Plum Fairy» by Andrey Kuternitsky (1987, Riga, Youth Theatre). In 1988-1990 he worked in the theatre «School of Dramatic Art» («Fiorenza» by Thomas Mann, 1990, directed by A. Vasiliev).

In 1990 Vladimir immigrated to Canada, where he lived and worked for 10 years. During his stay in Canada he designed over 20 performances, mainly in collaboration with the director Gregory Hlady. Kovalchuk returned to Russia at the behest of Anatoly Vasiliev and worked at the «School of Dramatic Art» until 2004. In collaboration with Vasiliev he created several projects, including: «Amphitryon» (Comedie Française, Paris, 2002), «Medea Material» (School of Dramatic Art, Moscow, 2001), etc.

In 2004-2006 he worked as the chief designer of the Taganka Theatre, where, together with Yuri Lyubimov, he designed produced two plays «The Soufle» and «Antigone». During these years he also actively participated in numerous exhibitions as a scenographer and a painter.

Vladimir has designed the set and properties for over 200 productions in various theatres in Canada, USA, Italy, France, Belgium, Japan, Russia. His artwork can be found in many museums and art galleries worldwide, e.g. A.A. Bakhrushin State Central Theatre Museum, the Art Museum of Western Ukraine (Lutsk), the Riga Art Museum, and are also stored in private collections in Canada, the United States, Germany, France, Russia, Latvia, Ukraine and other countries.

Designed the set and properties for the following productions performed at the Maly Theatre:

1990 - «The Savage» by Alexander Ostrovsky, directed by Vitaliy Solomin

2008 – «The Children of the Sun» by Maxim Gorky, directed by Adolf Shapiro

Vladimir Aleksandrovich Kovalchuk is a Soviet, Canadian, Ukrainian and Russian artist, set designer, painter and teacher. He was born on 22 March 1951 in Volodymyr Volynsky.

He was born into the family of Great Patriotic War veteran, a retired officer Alexander Kovalchuk (1920-2005). Eight years after the birth of their son, the family moved to Lutsk.

Here Vladimir studied for 5 years in an art school, and when he turned 15 he entered the Dnepropetrovsk Art School. In 1970 he graduated from the school specializing in painting. In 1974 he entered the Latvian Academy of Art, where he received his master's degree in painting and scenography.

In 1981-1988 Vladimir was the set designer at the Riga Youth Theatre. Within these years he designed the set and properties for the following productions: «Mowgli» by Rudyard Kipling, «The Miracle Worker» by William Gibson, «The Waltz Invention» by Vladimir Nabokov, «Democracy!» by Joseph Brodsky and others.

In1986 Kovalchuk began collaborating with director Anatoly Vasiliev: «Variations of Sugar Plum Fairy» by Andrey Kuternitsky (1987, Riga, Youth Theatre). In 1988-1990 he worked in the theatre «School of Dramatic Art» («Fiorenza» by Thomas Mann, 1990, directed by A. Vasiliev).

In 1990 Vladimir immigrated to Canada, where he lived and worked for 10 years. During his stay in Canada he designed over 20 performances, mainly in collaboration with the director Gregory Hlady. Kovalchuk returned to Russia at the behest of Anatoly Vasiliev and worked at the «School of Dramatic Art» until 2004. In collaboration with Vasiliev he created several projects, including: «Amphitryon» (Comedie Française, Paris, 2002), «Medea Material» (School of Dramatic Art, Moscow, 2001), etc.

In 2004-2006 he worked as the chief designer of the Taganka Theatre, where, together with Yuri Lyubimov, he designed produced two plays «The Soufle» and «Antigone». During these years he also actively participated in numerous exhibitions as a scenographer and a painter.

Vladimir has designed the set and properties for over 200 productions in various theatres in Canada, USA, Italy, France, Belgium, Japan, Russia. His artwork can be found in many museums and art galleries worldwide, e.g. A.A. Bakhrushin State Central Theatre Museum, the Art Museum of Western Ukraine (Lutsk), the Riga Art Museum, and are also stored in private collections in Canada, the United States, Germany, France, Russia, Latvia, Ukraine and other countries.

Designed the set and properties for the following productions performed at the Maly Theatre:

1990 - «The Savage» by Alexander Ostrovsky, directed by Vitaliy Solomin

2008 – «The Children of the Sun» by Maxim Gorky, directed by Adolf Shapiro

Publications