Nicolai Fechin: An Artistic Journey

 The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma will open Nicolai Fechin: An Artistic Journey on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. The exhibition explores the life and work of a Russian artist best known for his colorful portraits of New Mexico, while also highlighting the broader range of subjects and cultures he encountered throughout a lifetime of travel and reflection. Fechin’s search for health, patronage, and artistic inspiration led him from Russia to New York, New Mexico, Southern California, and beyond.

This exhibition, comprised of more than fifty drawings and paintings spanning the entirety of his career, examines how family, friends, training, and travel shaped the artist. Drawn from the museum’s permanent collection, the Eugene B. Adkins Collection at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, and a private Oklahoma collection, many of the works will be on public view for the first time.

“Fechin’s work tells a story of continual movement, discovery, and cultural connection,” said Thomas Smith, Wylodean and Bill Saxon Director of the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. “His portraits remain as vibrant and captivating today as when they were first created.”