Vladimir Prokoptsov was born on August 8, 1953 in Zhgunskaya Buda village of Dobrush district, Gomel region.
Between 1970 and 1975, he studied at the Vitebsk State Pedagogical Institute, department of fine art under outstanding masters Ivan Stolyarov, Dmitry Generalnitsky, and Feliks Gumen.
In 1980, Vladimir finished postgraduate studies at the Institute of Art of Ethnography and Folklore of the Academy of Sciences of the BSSR; in 1984, Vladimir Prokoptsov got PhD degree for research paper “The Monumental Art of Belarus of 1917–1980” at the Research Institute of Theory and History of Fine Arts of the Academy of Arts of the USSR in Moscow.
Since 1986, he takes part as an artist both in national and international exhibitions, plein airs, and art biennales. He works in the genres of still life, landscape and thematic painting. His main works are ‘Maxim Bahdanovich. The Last Sonnet of Poet’, ‘Parent’s House’, the series of pictures dedicated to Vitold Bialynitsky-Birulya and Ferdinand Ruszczyc, ‘Melody of Coming Morning’, ‘Present Indefinite’, ‘Adam Mickiewicz. The Poet’s Pain’, ‘Small Bathhouse’, ‘Origins’, ‘In Father’s Garden, ‘Frozen Lake’, ‘Radunitsa. In Memory of Father’, ‘Self-portrait’, ‘Vitebsk Dreams about Paris’, ‘My Vitebsk’, ‘Old Nests’ and others.
Vladimir Prokoptsov’s works are in the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus, the Belarusian Union of Artists, the Centre of Modern Arts, the Museum of Minsk City History, Maslenikov Mogilyov Regional Art Museum, the Polotsk National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve, Adam Mickiewicz House Museum in Navahradak, Dobrush and Lepel district local history museums, the Lithuanian Art Museum, as well as in private collections.
Vladimir Prokoptsov was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Dobrush for his contribution to the development of museology, as well as he was awarded the title of Honorary citizen of Lepel district for his great personal contribution to the development of national culture and art in this region. In Dobrush there was opened the Vladimir Prokoptsov Art Gallery.
Vladimir Prokoptsov is the author of numerous books and articles on fine art: ‘Michalay Ryzhankou’, ‘In search ofbeauty and harmony’,6- volume ‘History ofBelarusian art’ (he is an author of several chapters), a scientific curator of 3-volume publications ‘The National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus’, ‘The connecting Thread of Time’ (100 portraits from the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus), curator of numerous museum exhibitions and publishing projects, scientific catalogues and articles about fine art. He is the author and coordinator of the publishing project ‘Famous artists born in Belarus’ – “Vitold Bialynitsky-Birulya”, “Stanislav Zhukowski”, and “Ferdynand Ruszczyc” (published in publishing house “Belarus” since 2012).
Vladimir Prokoptsov is the Honoured Art Worker of the Republic of Belarus, Phd in art history, Head of Confederation of creative unions, member of Belarusian Union of artists, member of Belarusian Union of literature and art critics, member of Belarusian committee of ICOM and ICOMOS, National commission of the Republic of Belarus for UNESCO, subcommittee for awarding State prizes in literature, art and architecture, Honorary member of Russian Academy of Art.
He is a laureate (in a group) of special Prize of the President of the Republic of Belarus in the category “Museology”. He was awarded (in a collective) the prize “For spiritual rebirth”, the medal of Francysk Skaryna, the order of Friendship, and the medal of Alexander Pushkin (the Russian Federation).
Vladimir Prokoptsov was called as the best director of the museum in the Republic of Belarus at the First National Forum “Museums of Belarus” in Grodno.
For the organization of several spiritual and religious projects dedicated to the 1020th and 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia, Vladimir Prokoptsov was awarded the prizes of Belarusian, Russian and Ukrainian orthodox Churches.
