Bogdan Shiptenko — Contemporary Figurative Artist | Watercolor & Acrylic

Bogdan Shiptenko is a Ukrainian contemporary artist, born in 1994, working primarily in figurative painting with a strong focus on urban environments and human interaction. He holds a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from the Ukrainian National University.

With over twelve years of professional painting experience and more than eight years of international sales, Bogdan’s artistic journey reflects a deep commitment to both tradition and innovation. His work explores the rhythm of human presence within urban and natural spaces. Through fluid brushwork, layered light, and narrative composition, he captures fleeting scenes that reveal the quiet poetry of everyday life.

Each of his paintings is not only a reflection of a place or moment, but a story — carefully composed, meticulously crafted, and ready to live beyond the frame.

Bogdan’s inspiration is rooted in the urban experience — in the architecture, intersections, cafés, and vibrant public life of cities, whether at home or while traveling. His aim is to draw attention to the subtle moments we often overlook and to preserve those small glimpses of life that evoke memory, identity, and connection.

His early works focused on architectural and street scenes, but his practice gradually evolved into figurative painting. Today, he is known for dynamic multi-figure compositions that portray contemporary society in all its complexity — from bustling crowds and city dwellers to moments of solitude and stillness.

A hallmark of his work is the ongoing series People on the White, which combines expressive human figures with elements of urban paraphernalia on minimalist white backgrounds. These works touch on themes such as urban society, overconsumption, human routines, seasonal rituals, and everyday joys, with pieces like Coffee Break, Winter Vacation, and Urban Society becoming signature examples.

He primarily works in watercolor for its transparency and spontaneity — calling it a "magical material" that reveals its secrets as it dries. He often paints on cotton paper or canvas and enjoys experimenting with acrylics, texture pastes, and mixed media to enhance visual depth.

Bogdan’s artworks strive to reflect the world as it is — honest, emotional, and alive — offering viewers not just a visual experience, but a moment of personal recognition.

Exhibitions & Achievements

He has participated in numerous exhibitions including the Sea of Watercolors Biennale, the Luxembourg Art Prize, and several solo and group shows throughout Ukraine.

Solo Exhibitions
2015 — Summer Memories, Central Exhibition Hall / Kryvyi Rih
2018 — Around Me, Cultural Alternative Gallery / Kryvyi Rih
2018 — Watercolor City, Dnipropetrovsk Art Museum / Dnipro
2019 — I Look, I Feel, I Draw, AMD Design Club / Kyiv
2020 — The World Through the Eyes of Watercolor, Tuzov Gallery / Kyiv
2020 — Delicious Painting, Tuzov Gallery / Kyiv
2021 — Urban, Globe Gallery / Kyiv

Selected Group Exhibitions
2015 — Not for a Guest, Solar Gallery / Kryvyi Rih
2016 — Sea of Watercolors Biennale, Yellow Giants Gallery / Odessa
2016 — Urbanism, Central Exhibition Hall / Kryvyi Rih
2017 — Colors of Autumn, Central Exhibition Hall / Kryvyi Rih
2018 — Watercolor Exhibition, Dnipropetrovsk Art Museum / Dnipro
2019 — Artist’s Day Exhibition, Central Exhibition Hall / Kryvyi Rih
2020 — Portrait of My City, Local History Museum / Kryvyi Rih
2021 — Christmas Exposition, Globus Gallery / Kyiv
2021 — Childhood Memories, Central Exhibition Hall / Kryvyi Rih

Bogdan Shiptenko

Artworks by Bogdan Shiptenko

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Installation by Bogdan Shiptenko

Drawing

Boat station by Bogdan Shiptenko

Watercolour

Coffee shop in Budapest by Bogdan Shiptenko

Drawing

Parisian crossroads by Bogdan Shiptenko

Watercolour

Road Workers by Bogdan Shiptenko

Watercolour

Simple day by Bogdan Shiptenko

Drawing

State of nature by Bogdan Shiptenko

Watercolour

Paris by Bogdan Shiptenko

Drawing

Taste of summer by Bogdan Shiptenko

Watercolour

Bus stop by Bogdan Shiptenko

Watercolour

Marmaris by Bogdan Shiptenko

Watercolour

Queue at McDonald's by Bogdan Shiptenko

Watercolour