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The Immortality of Ukrainian Art & Culture

08.10.2022

In this article, you will learn a handful of interesting facts about Ukraine's culture, including the struggles they have gone through and continue to go through to fight for their independence.

A Nation forged by Culture

The idea of Ukraine as an independent state was formed within its culture, thanks to which, the country has been able to develop. This has allowed traditions to flourish in Ukrainian society and helped them establish their own word in the world. Despite countless forms of oppression and extermination of Ukrainian artists and the ethnic community, Ukraine has maintained its independence and self-sufficiency, thanks to its unique culture.

Ukrainian culture's advanced elite and luminaries worked to lay the foundation for the nation's spiritual renewal and the restoration of its identity during the 19th and 20th centuries. Despite the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire’s attempt to impose an inferior mindset, implement prohibitions, and gradually absorb Ukrainian culture, Ukraine at that time manifested itself in almost all the main areas. The areas included literature, theatre and drama, art and architecture, music, folk culture and folklore, the initiated development of science, education, the press, book publishing and cuisine. Culture served as a foundation in demonstrating Ukraine as a distinct, liberated state with its traditions, style, and values.

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Quite often, when someone talks about Ukrainian culture, you begin to automatically think of Ukrainian food, including holubtsi (a type of cabbage rolls), Borsch (beet soup), and Varenyky (dumplings). By mentioning Ukrainian traditions, people's minds are also drawn too widely known customs. Jumping over the bonfire during the Kupala Night, singing Christmas kolyadki (carols), painting and then beating eggs on Easter. Despite having centuries-old origins, Ukrainian traditions are being practiced widely today as well. The younger generation continues to maintain and enhance Ukrainian customs.

The Depths of Ukrainian Artistic Heritage

Ukraine's creative and educational sectors maintain up with its citizens' talents and accomplishments. Therefore, as art connoisseurs, we will delve into the topic of artistic talents, who built the history of Ukraine. The Ukrainian people have developed diverse folk art over the years. A variety of regional aesthetics are reflected in the stylized embellishment of well-developed crafts including weaving, woodcarving, needlework, and pottery. And new generations in Ukraine are working hard to preserve the quality of Ukrainian contemporary art and enhance it.

Taras Shevchenko (who was also the foremost Ukrainian poet), Maria Prymachenko, Ivan Marchuk, Yevhenia Gapchynska and many more Ukrainian names were building the history of Ukrainian Art over the last several centuries. Paintings by Prymachenko are regarded as a notable example of European "naive art” of the twentieth century, which is a phrase for creations by artists without professional training. Vivid colours, folk motives, the combination of mythological and zoological worlds. Her unique style impressed even Picasso, who made personal compliments to the artist.

Another artist, who is nowadays at her peak, is Yevhenia Gapchynska, who is famous thanks to her personalized characters – which perform different roles in the illustrations and bring positive emotions to the viewer. Her artworks annually hold different exhibitions not only in Ukraine but also in the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom etc. And her illustrations became famous not only on canvas but presented everywhere: from books to wallpapers.

When talking about Ukrainian Art culture let’s not forget about the Petrykiv painting - the most famous Ukrainian decorative and ornamental painting of the XIX - XXI centuries. Predominantly, Petrykiv’s paintings depict floral ornament features of various flowers (including asters, dahlias, roses, and daisies) and fruits that are arranged into artistic compositions of vases and shrubs. The Petrykiv ornament was adopted as Ukraine's creative calling card and it continues to decorate walls, souvenirs, dishes, and much more.

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Cultural Legacy: The Future of Ukrainian Art

However, nowadays the Ukrainian art world experiences the same problems that they experienced during the Second World War, when thousands of works were taken by Nazi soldiers to Germany. Numerous artworks that were situated on the peninsula were moved to Russian museums following Russia's invasion and annexation of Crimea in 2014. During the full-scale invasion, 25 paintings by Maria Prymachenko, were destroyed by Russian bombers who struck the museum where they were kept in a village outside of Kyiv. Dozens of artworks of other Ukrainian artists were burned, stolen, and wiped out.

Seeing that potential inside of young and talented Ukrainian artists, Victory Art supports them to make a statement and give spotlight to Ukrainian Art at the European level. Their artworks embody their emotions in the image of new Ukrainian Art. There will always be some cultural loss following a war, but the younger generations are here to reserve their legacy and enhance Ukrainian power and identity.

Curious to see the legacy of artworks from young Ukrainian artists? Discover our online art gallery and ready to be impressed by their paintings.