About the Exhibit

This exhibition features a selection of works on paper and objects from the Kolodzei Art Foundation’s collection by the prominent artist, Konstantin Bokov (born Shostka, Ukraine; lives and works in New York), which offers a glimpse into his creative process and celebrates his artistic journey.

Konstantin Bokov was born in Shostka, Ukraine, to the Soviet poet and songwriter, Victor Bokov, in 1940. Pursuing a career as an artist was encouraged by his family, and at a young age, he attended the Art Academy of Leningrad in St. Petersburg. Here, he initially studied music with the intention of following in his father’s illustrious career, but it was his introduction to painting that genuinely cemented Bokov’s direction in life. After his studies, Bokov moved to Moscow, where he discovered the works of Vincent Van Gogh and knew he had found his calling.

Feeling the urge for freedom and artistic expression, Bokov immigrated to New York City in 1974, where the atmosphere of the art world was on the brink of change. A talented draftsman, he is always drawing, capturing the energy and mood of a scene with his impressions and observations of the surroundings. With his vivid imagination, Bokov also utilizes paint, fabric, plastic, and everyday found objects to explore his creative ideas.

Bokov lives and works in New York. Bokov has participated in many solo and group exhibitions in museums and galleries, and his works are in many public collections.

An Exhibit Opening reception will take place on January 21, 2026. Learn more >>

About the Kolodzei Art Foundation

The Kolodzei Art Foundation, Inc., a US-based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public foundation founded in 1991, organizes exhibitions and cultural exchanges in museums and cultural centers in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere, often utilizing the considerable resources of the Kolodzei Collection of Russian and Eastern European Art, and publishes books. The Kolodzei Collection of Russian and Eastern European Art consists of over 7,000 works, including paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, photography, digital and kinetic art, video, and interactive installations, by more than 300 artists from Russia, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union http://kolodzeiart.org/

Images (left to right or top to bottom):

Konstantin Bokov, Self-Portrait, 1984. Pencil on paper, 10 x 8 in.Kolodzei Collection of Russian and Eastern European Art, Kolodzei Art Foundation www.kolodzeiart.org

Konstantin Bokov, George Washington Bridge Bus Station Series, 1985. Marker, china marker on paper, 11 x 14 in. Kolodzei Collection of Russian and Eastern European Art, Kolodzei Art Foundation www.kolodzeiart.org

Konstantin Bokov, Portrait of Salvador Dali, 2011. Oil, mixed media, found objects, 31 x 16 in. Kolodzei Collection of Russian and Eastern European Art, Kolodzei Art Foundation www.kolodzeiart.org

All non-Columbia visitors must meet the primary vaccination series mandate.

Registration and government ID are required to visit the exhibit. Please email harriman@columbia.edu no later than 48 hrs before entry to register.