OSTAP NOCHOVNYK
This is one of the most interesting and puzzling figures in the history of Ukrainian folk ceramics from the Opishnia school. In the research by doctoral student Olena Klymenko, Nochovnyk's exceptional and original talent is highlighted. The master has a lot in common with other potters, but, in fact, he had no predecessors and followers, and, even his own son used to work «the way others do», not his father's way. Surprisingly, Nochovnyk managed to combine the folk «memory» of the baroque with modern directions. This has nothing to do with any adoption of separate decor motives or techniques. This is about his personal interpretation of the style. Ostap Nochovnyk designed a number of techniques and «canons» which he duplicated afterwards in lots of variants. The combination of the folk master's thinking and his individual world outlook resulted in the «Nochovnyk Phenomenon".
