About Mikhail Petrenko

Born October 9, 1938 in Nikolaev, Ukraine. Grew up in Severodvinsk and worked there after school graduation at the Sevmash enterprise.
Studied at the Institute of Technology “Lensoveta”(Leningrad).
Graduated from the Leningrad Higher School of Art and Design
(named after Vera Mukhina, a.k.a. «LVHPU»), in 1968 (the diploma noted in the journal «Technical Aesthetics» №3, 1969).
Teachers: Lindroth Leo, Igor Petrovich Kornilov
Worked in the field of book illustration and Printmaking, monumental and decorative painting and small sculptures.
Participated in exhibitions of nonconformist artists in D.K. (Cultural Centers) of “Gaza” and “Nevsky”.
Taught drawing at the Leningrad Civil Engineering Institute, (1975-1977), then taught drawing and painting at a special art school №190, affiliated with «LVHPU of Mukhina» (1976-1990).
Was a member of the Leningrad Union of Artists of the USSR ( graphics section).
Had publications about his work in magazines “Tvortchestvo (Creativity)” 1987 №7, 1989 №7, «Aurora» 1988 №4, «Soviet Literature» 1982, №9, 1989 №2 and in other magazines and newspapers.
Was filmed and shown several times on the Leningrad TV in television movies: “The Interior Portrait – Artist Mikhail Petrenko”, 1990 (60 minutes),
“Chhaya about Saigon”(Lenfilm), “House and dacha “, “Illustrations to poems of Nicholas Oleynikov “, LenTV 1992.
Finished post-graduate Institute of Art History in Moscow. Scientific adviser: Doctor of Arts, Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences G.Yu.Sternin. By decision of the Council under Art History Institute of the Ministry of Culture of the USSR, he was awarded the degree of candidate in art critics (Thesis “Russian book and problems of interpretation of classical literature in Russian art of the second half of the 19th century” ; Opponents: Member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR D.V.Sarabyanov and candidate in art-critics M.A.Nemirovskaya).
Worked as a senior researcher at the National Public Library of Saltykov-Shchedrin (Department of Book Science), a senior researcher at the State Russian Museum (publishing division).
Author of books and articles on art.
Active in the field of book illustration and Printmaking in the publishing house “Sovetski Pisatel (Soviet writer)”, “Hudozhestvennaya Literatura” (Moscow and Leningrad), “Detgiz” and “Lenizdat”.

Since January 1994, lives and works in San Francisco (USA), conducts active exhibition activity.
Most works are concentrated in three art museums: Severodvinsk, Russia (over 100 works), Nikolayev, Ukraine (named after V.V. Vereshchagin, over 100 works) and E.A. Kibrik Museum in Voznesensk, Ukraine (about 50 works).
From 1 January 2001, publishes and edits the magazine «Saigonskaya kultura. S-Culture », (ISSN 1538-0610), dedicated to the issues of art and culture. By June 1, 2013 there were more than 60 issues of the magazine.
Was a member of the Russian branch of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA) in 1992; Current Member of the International Association of art critics USA (AICA, since 1995).

The most influence on the art work of Mikhail Petrenko had his love for music: His wife, Olga Bakayeva-Petrenko is an organ player, his older son Anton plays viola, younger son Mikhail – opera singer, bass, Mariinsky soloist.