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Opening reception: Image of Ukraine (Образ України)
September 14, 2017 @ 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm
A free public reception celebrating the “Image of Ukraine (Образ України): Exploring Ukrainian Culture through Embroidery and Painting” exhibition will feature a keynote lecture by Natalie Kononenko on “Ukrainian Folk Art: Magic and Meaning” and will be followed by demonstrations and Ukrainian food.
Dr. Kononenko is Professor and Kule Chair in Ukrainian Ethnography in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultural Studies at the University of Alberta in Canada. Formerly she served as Assistant Dean and Chair of the Slavic Department at the University of Virginia. A leading expert in Ukrainian and Slavic folklore, she has published extensively on Ukrainian epic, folktales, minstrels, and contemporary legends. Her publications include Slavic Folklore: A Handbook (2007), Ukranian Minstrels (1998), and The Magic Egg and Other Tales from the Ukraine (1997).
“Image of Ukraine (Образ України): Exploring Ukrainian Culture through Embroidery and Painting” highlights two traditional Ukrainian folk art forms – vyshyvka (Ukrainian embroidery) and Petrykivka (a Ukrainian style of painting named after its city of origin). The exhibition explores Ukrainian culture through the lens of decorative folk art, delving into the history and cultural significance of traditions central to the lives of Ukrainian families both in North Carolina and Ukraine. Included in the exhibition are numerous examples of traditional embroidery as well as paintings by local Ukrainian artist, Olena Zintchouk, in the style of Petrykivka. Interviews with the Ukrainian community in North Carolina illustrate how well-known forms of a folk art can be adapted to new settings and help maintain cultural traditions and identity.
“Image of Ukraine” will be on display at the FedEx Global Education Center from August 22 to December 8, 2017.
The exhibition is hosted by UNC Global and is organized by the Ukrainian Association of North Carolina; the UNC Center for Slavic, Eurasian, and East European Studies; and Global Relations at UNC. Additional support is provided by the UNC Center for Global Initiatives; UNC Department of American Studies; and UNC Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literatures.