Oleksandra Ekster was a Ukrainian painter, illustrator, innovator of theatrical scenography, and founder of an art school in Kyiv. She stands as one of the most prominent women artists of the global avant-garde.
She is often called the "Amazon of the Avant-Garde," being one of the pioneering women within the movement. Ekster's multifaceted body of work spanned painting, stage design, costume design, interior design, as well as collecting and curating exhibitions of Ukrainian folk art.
Paris played a vital role in her artistic development. Ekster constantly traveled between Kyiv and Paris, where she studied and exhibited her work. She is considered one of the founders of the Art Deco style, alongside her contributions to Cubism, Futurism, and Abstractionism. Influenced by rural folk artists, she began incorporating vibrant, intense colors into the planes and facets of her paintings.
Most famous paintings: "Three Female Figures" (1910), "View of Paris" (1912), and "Night City" (1919).