Petrykivka Spring

Welcome spring and the Year of the Rooster with a special exhibit of folk painting from the village of Petrykivka in central Ukraine, presented by the Ukrainian Historical and Educational Center and collectors Yuri Mischenko and Natalie Pawlenko.

The Petrykivka style originated from an ancient decorative painting tradition in central Ukraine, where it was used to decorate whitewashed walls, ceiling beams, hearths, and household items. Petrykivka paintings are characterized by core motifs that reflect the unity between humans and their natural environment and the cyclical rebirth of life, including flowers, trees, and birds. 

This exhibit presents over 30 works of noted artists working in the Petrykivka tradition from the 1980s to the present, including Volodymyr Hlushchenko, Halyna Nazarenko, Olena Panko-Yarmolyuk, Uliana Sklyar, Valentyna Milenko, and others from the collection of Mischenko/Pawlenko collection.

However, it also goes "beyond the canvas" and explores the historical context of this distinctively Ukrainian art tradition, which was put on the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2013. Learn about its origins in folk spirituality, its connections to the Ukrainian Kozak state, and its recent transformation into a "brand" of independent Ukraine.

The exhibit opens with a reception and gallery talk on Sunday, March 19th, 2017 from 1pm-4pm. Some pieces will also be available for purchase.

Regular hours: M-F 9am–5pm and Saturday Noon–4pm, or groups by appointment. The gallery will be closed for Easter/Pascha weekend (April 14th-17th, reopening at 1pm on April 18th) and Memorial Day weekend (May 27th-29th). It will be open for special visiting hours on Sunday, April 23rd (St. Thomas Sunday) Noon-4pm.

Image: Olena Kharchenko. Morning Rooster, 2016. Acrylic on paper, 16.5 x 23 in. Collection of Yuri Mischenko and Natalie Pawlenko.