Ronald Kostyniuk

Ronald Kostyniuk

born in 1941 in Wakaw, Saskatchewan
father emigrated from Ukraine, mother is first generation Ukrainian-Canadian
B.A. in Biology and a B.Ed. from the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (1963); B.F.A., University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta (1969); M.Sc. (1970) and an M.F.A.(1971), University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin

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A professor of Fine Arts at the University of Calgary since 1971, Ron Kostyniuk began his career as a teacher of biology. While still a student at the University of Saskatchewan, his native province, Kostyniuk became interested in the writings of artist Charles Biederman, whose analytical approach to art struck a chord with Kostyniuk's scientific background. While teaching biology in high schools around the Prairies, Kostyniuk also began a career as a constructivist artist, and in 1970 and 1971 attended the University of Wisconsin in order to earn Master's degrees in Biology and Fine Art, respectively. Kostyniuk's constructed reliefs, based on the early twentieth-century Russian movement that was concerned with space, time, colour and the relationships between geometric shapes, have always been tied to Kostyniuk’s knowledge of biology. According to him they reflect nature's forms and processes, without actually imitating them, referring to them as "visual analogies to nature’s created forms" (1988). While not directly related to the artist’s Ukrainian background, he feels that the vivid colours and intricate geometrical combinations of his mother's own Ukrainian craftwork have also been a strong inspiration (1998). Over the years Kostyniuk's constructed reliefs have grown more and more complicated, evolving from Cube series (ca. 1963 to 1967), Rod series (ca. 1968 to 1969), and Planar series (1966 to 1968), the kind of work Virgil Hammock described as "earlier pieces . . . based on a horizontal grid while there seems to be a movement toward vertical elements as well as an expanded interest in colour" (1969), to Winged Form series (ca. 1971 to 1975), where the plane is opened up into three-dimensional space, pieces of the relief sticking out into space, with movement being created by the smattering of coloured pieces and the juxtaposition of angles. From these he moved to Kinetic Form series, (ca. 1969 to 1975) to Crystalline series, (ca. 1976 to 1978) where Kostyniuk used many small planes to create facets resembling the forms of crystals. Following this he worked on Crystal in Landscape series (ca. 1975 to 1978), a variation in which the crystals are seen in the broader context of landscape, then interpreting landscape itself in Horizon series (ca. 1980 to 1982) and Foothills series (ca. 1981 to 1982). His work in the 1990s has included Urban Landscapes (ca. 1992 to 1993), using tables and pedestals to support crowds of tiny geometric people, and An Anthropomorphic Architecture (ca. 1991 to 1993), expanding his forms to include buildings and other kinds of enclosures. Kostyniuk was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Art in 1975.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

1994	An Anthropomorphic Architecture 1991-1993 Art Department Gallery, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
1992	Neo-Constructions, 1987-1991 Muttart Public Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
1989	Nuremberg, West Germany
1987	Ron Kostyniuk - Working Drawings for Relief Constructions Prairie Gallery, Grande Prairie, Alberta Ross Shepard Library/Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta Calgary Hall Theatre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta Brandon Allied Arts Council, Brandon, Manitoba Brian Melnychenko Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, Chicago, Illinois
1986	The India International Center, New Delhi, India
1985	Ron Kostyniuk Petro Canada Exhibition Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
1984	Ron Kostyniuk: Recent Work Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina, Saskatchewan; Medicine Hat Art Gallery, Medicine Hat, Alberta
1983	Ron Kostyniuk Art and Sources The Nickle Museum, Calgary, Alberta Ron Kostyniuk - New Works Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta
1981	Ron Kostyniuk Brian Melnychenko Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba
1980	Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Gallery 1.1.1, School of Art, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba Ring House #1, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
1979	Ron Kostyniuk Relief Structures - Crystalline Series 1975 - 79 Gallery 1.1.1, School of Art, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
1978	Ron Kostyniuk University of Calgary Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
1977	Ron Kostyniuk - Relief Structures 1971-1977 University of Calgary Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
1975	Stratford Art Gallery, Stratford, Ontario Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener, Ontario Ron Kostyniuk Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery, Halifax, Nova Scotia
1974	Ron Kostyniuk Sarnia Art Gallery, Sarnia, Ontario; University of Moncton, Moncton, New Brunswick Ron Kostyniuk Gallery Oseredok, Winnipeg, Manitoba
1973	Relief Structures of Ron Kostyniuk Institute of Modern Art, Chicago, Illinois Ron Kostyniuk York University, Toronto, Ontario; Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton, New Brunswick; Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia; Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland
1972	Kostyniuk: Relief Structures; 1969-1972 Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta Ron Kostyniuk University of Calgary Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta Evanston Art Center, Evanston, Illinois Recent Sculptures by Ronald Kostyniuk Saskatoon Gallery and Conservatory Corporation, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1971	Recent Structures - Kostyniuk Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Ron Kostyniuk Students' Union Art Gallery, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba Ron Kostyniuk Students' Union Gallery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
1970	Ron Kostyniuk Bradley Galleries, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1969	Ron Kostyniuk Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta
1967	Kazimir Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
1966	Ron Kostyniuk Brandon University, Brandon, Manitoba
1965	Ron Kostyniuk Brandon Allied Arts Centre, Brandon, Manitoba

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

1998	The Saskatchewan Road Map Series Architecture Gallery, Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta Group Exhibition Triangle Gallery for the Arts, Calgary, Alberta
1997	History of Structurism Kenderdine Art Gallery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan A Duchampion Look at the Glenbow Art Collection Glenbow Alberta Institute, Calgary, Alberta Faculty Exhibition Nickle Museum, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
1996	Architectural Spaces Muttart Public Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta Faculty Exhibition Nickle Museum, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
1995	Structures on the Edge of Chaos Geldrop, The Netherlands Symmetry in Relief Construction Exhibition Centre, Washington, D.C. Recent Acquisitions Glenbow Alberta Institute, Calgary, Alberta Faculty Exhibition Nickle Museum, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
1994	Looking Back No, II 1981-85 Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta Sculptors Collect Triangle Gallery for the Arts, Calgary, Alberta Founding Members Triangle Gallery for the Arts, Calgary, Alberta
1991	Concept/Form Cultural Art Centre of the Municipality of Athens, Athens, Greece
1990	L'Idee-Systematisele Konkrete en Konstruktieve Kunst Zoetermeer, The Netherlands
1989	Kunst International Hippe Halle Gmunden, Austria Art Concrete Museum of Architecture, Wroclaw, Poland Pro Drawing Collection World Trade Centre, Rotterdam, Netherlands Homage to Henryk Stazewski Gallery Rekwizytornia, Wroclaw, Poland Survey of Alberta Sculpture Triangle Gallery for the Arts, Calgary, Alberta
1988	Geometry as Abstract Art Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale, Florida Null Dimensions New Space Gallery, Fulda, West Germany Alberta Vision Muttart Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta "10 Floor Gallery" Faculty of Environmental Design University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta Art Bank at Work 80 Spadina Ave., Toronto, Ontario
1987	Pro-Art and Architecture Museum of Dordrecht, The Netherlands
1986	Faculty Exhibition Nickle Museum, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta The Arts in a Multi-cultural Setting Visvd-Bharati University, Santiniketan, West Bengal, India The India International Center, New Delhi, India
1985	Faculty Exhibition Nickle Museum, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
1984	Faculty Exhibition Nickle Museum, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
1983	Faculty Exhibition Nickle Museum, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
1982	13 Works From the Art Bank Novalta Properties, Calgary, Alberta
1981	The Constructivist Heritage Art Gallery at Harbourfront, Toronto, Ontario Faculty Exhibition Nickle Museum, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
1980	Geometry as Abstract Art Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois Faculty Exhibition Nickle Museum, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
1979	Alberta Art Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, Sapporo, Hokkaido Exhibition Hall, Obihiro City Hall for the Citizens, Obihiro, Hokkaido The Art Gallery,m Chinzan-so, Fujita Tourist Enterprises Ltd., Tokyo. 60. 1979 Hotel Kowaki-en, Hakone, Kanawaga, Japan; The Exhibition Area, International Hotel, Fujita Tourist Enterprises, Kyoto, Japan; Gallery no. 5, Kenmin Hall Art Gallery, Yokohama, Kanawaga, Japan Accessions '70 Beaverhouse Art Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta Faculty Exhibition Nickle Museum, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta The Evolution of the Constructed Relief 1913-1979 Nickle Museum, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
1978	The Fine Art of Alberta Craft XI Commonwealth Games, Edmonton, Alberta An Exhibition to Commemorate the XI Commonwealth Games Art Foundation Collection, Edmonton, Alberta 4 Sculptors Institute of Modern Art, Chicago, Illinois
1977	Albertawork: A Juried Exhibition of Alberta Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking, Drawing and Photography Alberta College of Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta Alberta Art Foundation: Selections Glenbow-Alberta Institute Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta Alberta Society of Artists Glenbow-Alberta Institute Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta Faculty Exhibition University of Calgary Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta $35, 000 Competition for a Major Sculptural Work for the Art Gallery of Hamilton Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario
1976	What's New Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta Art of the 60s Alberta College of Art, Calgary, Alberta
1975	9 out of 10. A Survey of Contemporary Canadian Art Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario Faculty Exhibition University of Calgary Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
1974	Prairie Painters Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta Faculty Exhibition (University of Calgary/University of Alberta) Glenbow-Alberta Institute Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
1973	Fourteen from Calgary Gallery Latitude 53, Edmonton, Alberta Faculty Exhibition Alberta College of Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
1972	Five Canadian Artists Institute of Modern Art, Chicago, Illinois Faculty Exhibition University of Calgary Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta Our World Confederation Centre, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island Recent Sculptures by Ronald Kostyniuk Saskatoon Gallery and Conservatory Corporation, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1971	West 71 Edmonton, Alberta Alberta Society of Artists Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta Faculty Exhibition University of Calgary Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta
1969	Relief/Construction/Relief Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Illinois; High Museum, Atlanta, Georgia; Cranbrook Academy, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; Herron Museum, Indianapolis, Indiana All Alberta Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta
1968	Eleventh Winnipeg Show Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba Seventh Biennial of Canadian Painting National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
1967	Alberta Society of Artists Jubilee Auditorium, Edmonton, Alberta The Structurists Linfield College Art Centre, McMinnville, Oregon

COLLECTIONS

Alberta Culture, Edmonton, Alberta
Alberta Energy, Edmonton, Alberta
Alberta Government Alberta House Collection, Edmonton, Alberta
Alberta Government Art Foundation, Edmonton, Alberta
Alberta Government Visual Arts Branch, Edmonton, Alberta
Amoco Petroleum Ltd., Calgary, Alberta
Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton, New Brunswick
Brandon Allied Arts Centre, Brandon, Manitoba
Brandon University, Brandon, Manitoba
Canada Council Art Bank, Ottawa, Ontario
City of Calgary Allied Arts Foundation, Calgary, Alberta
City of Edmonton, Clearview Arena, Edmonton, Alberta
Confederation Art Centre. Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta
Eye Corporation, Chicago, Illinois
Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta
Institute of Modern Art, Chicago, Illinois
Kresge Foundation, Detroit, Michigan
Lipshcultz Foundation, Chicago, Illinois
MacKenzie Art Gallery, Regina, Saskatchewan
Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland
Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Mount Royal College, Calgary, Alberta
Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Museum of Modern Art, H�nfeld, Germany
Nickel Museum, Calgary, Alberta
Olympia and York Developments, Calgary, Alberta
Petro Canada, Calgary, Alberta
Red Deer College, Red Deer, Alberta
Prairie Gallery, Grande Prairie, Alberta
Sarnia Art Gallery, Sarnia, Ontario
Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aarons, Anita. The Constructivist Heritage. Toronto, Ontario: The Art Gallery at Harbourfront, 1981.

Andres, Marion. "Kostyniuk's constructed reliefs - a rare form of challenge." The Art Post (March/April 1986): 26-29.

Baker, Susan Devonshire, et al. Artists of Alberta. Edmonton, Alberta: University of Alberta Press, 1980.

Botar, Oliver. "Ron Kostyniuk - relief constructions." Vie des arts (December 1983): n.p.

Burnett & Schiff. Contemporary Canadian Art. Edmonton, Alberta: Hurtig Publishing, 1983.

Canada Council Art Bank Catalogue, 1972 - 1987. Ottawa, Ontario: Canada Council, 1987.

Climer, John E. Recent Sculptures by Ronald Kostyniuk. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Sasaktoon Gallery and Conservatory Corporation, 1972.

---. Recent Structures - Kostyniuk. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Mendel Art Gallery, 1971.

Cumming, Glen E. $35,000 Competition for a Major Sculptural Work for the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Hamilton, Ontario: Art Gallery of Hamilton, 1977.

---. 9 out of 10: A Survey of Contemporary Canadian Art. Hamilton, Ontario: Art Gallery of Hamilton, 1974.

Devonshire-Baker, Susan. "Ron Kostyniuk." Artists of Alberta. Edmonton, Alberta: University of Alberta Press, 1980.

Graham, John. "The structures of Ron Kostyniuk." Vie des arts 79 (1975): n.p.

Greenwood, Michael. "The constructive tradition, more or less." Arts Canada 234/235 (April/May 1980): 21-24.

---. Ron Kostyniuk Relief Structures 1969-71. Calgary, Alberta: Glenbow Alberta Institute, 1972.

Gustafson, Paula. "Ron Kostyniuk." Espace 33 (Fall 1995): 46-47.

Hammock, Virgil. "Prairie visions: The art of Ron Kostyniuk." Art Focus (Fall 1992): 11-16.

---. "Kostyniuk shows quality, reverence for nature." Edmonton Journal, 14 November 1969, p. 65

Harff, Illi-Maria. "Sculptors in the Prairie provinces." Vie des arts (1969-70): n.p.

Hargittay, Clara. "The constructivist heritage at the Art Gallery at Harbourfront." Artmagazine (Summer 1982): n.p.

Haydon, Harold. "The structurist movement." Chicago Omnibus (May 1967): n.p.

Kacurowsky, Bill. Relief Structures of Ron Kostyniuk. Chicago, Illinois: Institute of Modern Art, 1973.

Kind, Joshua. Geometry as Abstract Art. DeKalb, Illinois: University of Northern Illinois, 1980.

Kostyniuk, Ronald. "Eco-Biomes." Leonardo (Winter 1978/79): n.p.

---. The Evolution of Constructed Relief 1913-1979. Calgary, Alberta: Nickle Museum, University of Calgary, 1979.

---. Kostyniuk - An Anthropomorphic Architecture 1991-93. Calgary, Alberta: Art Department Gallery, University of Calgary, 1994.

---. Kostyniuk-Neo Constructions, 1987-1991. Calgary, Alberta: Muttart Public Art Gallery, University of Calgary, 1992.

---. "Pioneers of the geometric constructed relief: Cesar Domela and Kean Gorin." Constructivist Forum 8 (1989)

---. Ron Kostyniuk Art and Sources. Calgary, Alberta: Nickle Museum, University of Calgary, 1983.

---. Ron Kostyniuk Relief Structures 1971-77. Calgary, Alberta: University of Calgary, 1992.

---. "Space-time constructions." Leonardo (1986): n.p.

Kostyniuk: Urban Landscapes: An Anthropomorphic Architecture, 1991-1993. Calgary, Alberta: The Gallery, Art Department, University of Calgary, 1993.

Kowalska, Bozena and Ron Kostyniuk. Constructive Art in Poland, 1924-1991. Calgary, Alberta: The Nickle Arts Museum, 1990.

Lindland, Pauline. Ron Kostyniuk: Recent Work. Calgary, Alberta: Petro Canada Exhibition Gallery, 1985.

Livingstone, D. "Natural sources - Ron Kostyniuk combines art and science." Alberta Culture (February 1986): n.p.

McConnell, Clyde. "Calgary in transition." Art Magazine 14 (1973): 25-26.

McMullen, William B., et al. Alberta Art Foundation: Selections. Calgary, Alberta: Glenbow-Alberta Institute, 1977.

Merrill, David. "The structurist generation." Art Scene (December 1967): n.p.

Mitchell, R. "Ronald Kostyniuk - relief structures." The New Art Examiner 3 (1976): n.p.

Moppett, Ronald and Alvin Balkind. Albertawork: A Juried Exhibition of Alberta Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking, Drawing and Photography. Calgary, Alberta: Alberta College of Art Gallery, 1977.

Newman, Marketa, ed. Biographical Dictionary of Saskatchewan Artists. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Fifth House Publishers, 1994.

Ochrymovych, Maria. Five Canadian Artists. Chicago, Illinois: Institute of Modern Art, 1972.

Ron Kostyniuk. Edmonton, Alberta: Edmonton Art Gallery, 1969.

Ron Kostyniuk Relief Structures - Crystalline Series 1975-79. Winnipeg, Manitoba: Gallery 1.1.1, University of Manitoba, 1979.

Roukes, Nick. Design Synectics. New York, New York: Davis Publications, 1988.

---. Humor in Art. Worcester, Massachussetts: Davis Publications, 1997.

---."Piping Light - Kostyniuk." In Plastics for Kinetics. New York, New York: Watson-Guptill, 1974.

---. "Relief construction." In New Media. New York, New York: Watson-Guptill, 1974.

Seitz, William C., and Pierre Th�berge. Seventh Biennial of Canadian Painting, 1968. Ottawa, Ontario: National Gallery of Canada, 1968.

Severson, Ann. "Ron Kostyniuk." Espace Magazine 38 (Winter 1996-97): 42-43.

Stebbins, Joan. Ron Kostyniuk - New Works. Lethbridge, Alberta: Southern Alberta Art Gallery, 1983.

Stocking, John. "Kostyniuk's relief structures." Arts Magazine (Winter 1975): n.p.

---. "Sculptor views art and science as complementary." Catalyst 2, no. 3 (Winter 1988): n.p.

---, and M. Eric. Initiatives, 1966-1976. Calgary, Alberta: University of Calgary Art Department, 1991.

Townsend, William, et al. Studio International/Canadian Art Today. London, England: Studio International, 1970.

Williams, Arthur. Sculpture Technique, Form, Content. Worcester, Massachussetts: Davis Publications, 1989.