DATELINE NEW YORK: The Ukrainian Museum, a growing institution (02/16/97)

DATELINE NEW YORK: The Ukrainian Museum, a growing institution

by Helen Smindak

I have visited The Ukrainian Museum in New York on numerous occasions, yet there is still a sense of excitement, a feeling of anticipation, each time I walk through the doors at 203 Second Ave. No matter what the day or the season, I know that I will find something to delight my senses and enrich my day - an exhibit of lavishly-embroidered folk costumes and headdresses, a display of coral and coin necklaces and other neck adornments, a spectacular array of pysanky or an exhibition of stunning kylyms.

There may be a workshop or course in Ukrainian folk crafts in progress, with adults and youngsters intent on assembling Christmas ornaments, learning how to use beeswax and dyes to decorate Easter eggs Ukrainian-style, or following instructions on baking Ukrainian breads.

In recent months, I have attended a weekend conference on the living traditions of the Hutsul people, a retrospective exhibition of works by the renowned artist Jacques Hnizdovsky, an exhibit of Borschiv folk costumes and textiles, and a lecture on Ukrainian Christmas traditions. Every visit to the museum satisfies aesthetic and professional requirements and reinforces my pride in my cultural heritage.

It is also satisfying and pleasant to meet and chat with the individuals who spend their weekdays (often late into the night, and weekends, too) creating a successful, growing institution that produces consistently high-quality programming. Maria Shust, the director, provides quiet, firm leadership and guidance for her staff. She is assisted by the administrative director, Daria Bajko, who handles all the financial records and administrative matters dealing with the museum.

The loyal, hard-working staff, usually to be found at computers and typewriters in the fifth-floor office, includes Lubow Wolynetz, educational director and folk-art curator; Chrystyna Pevny, archivist and gift-shop manager; Marta Baczynsky, grants and public relations officer; Lydia Hajduczok, special events coordinator; and Nadia Svitlychna, publications officer. Mrs. Hajduczok and Mrs. Svitlychna also assist with press and public relations responsibilities.

Many others are involved behind the scenes: volunteers who give selflessly of their time and talents, attending meetings of the board of trustees, planning and arranging special events and fundraising projects, and lending a hand at bazaars and receptions; people who chair various board committees, like Tatiana Tershakovec (special events), Anna Alyskewycz (fund-raising for the new museum building), Vera Skop (program committee) and Titus Hewryk (building project).

Volunteers who served the museum in past years come to mind as well: Iwanna Rozankowskyj, who was instrumental in pursuing the idea of The Ukrainian Museum until it became a reality; and past presidents Alexandra Riznyk of New York (she was the museum board's first president), the late Dr. Bohdan Cymbalisty of Glen Spey, N.Y., who headed the board for over 10 years, Mr. Hewryk of Philadelphia and Dr. Joseph Danko of New Haven, Conn. Since last summer, John Luchechko of Jersey City, N.J., has taken on the duties of president.

Ms. Shust, who feels that the importance of any museum resides in its collections, says the museum is fortunate that Ukrainian Americans have donated hundreds of valuable objects to the institution. Every offering of costumes, textiles, fine art and monetary contributions, large or small, assists the museum in furthering its work.

Since its founding and incorporation in 1976 by the Ukrainian National Women's League of America, The Ukrainian Museum has been intensively informing and instructing the Ukrainian community and the general public about Ukrainian cultural treasures. For over 20 years it has concentrated on collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting objects of artistic and historic significance that related to Ukrainian life and culture.

With one of the largest documented collections of folk art in the United States, the museum has mounted more than 50 professionally designed, comprehensive exhibitions as well as traveling exhibitions that have toured in the U.S. and Ukraine. Major exhibitions are accompanied by bilingual, illustrated and well-researched catalogues.

The fine arts collection includes the work of such noted Ukrainian artists as Alexander Archipenko, Alexis Gritchenko, Vasyl Krychevsky, Petro Cholodny Jr., Mychajlo Moroz, Mykhaylo Chereshnovsky and the primitive artist Nikifor. A third category of collections - photographic/documentary archives - records the life, history and cultural development of Ukrainians in Ukraine as well as of the Ukrainian immigration in this country.

To celebrate the museum's 20th anniversary last October, supporters, friends, members and officers gathered for a gala luncheon at the Westbury Hotel in Manhattan. The program, emceed by Orest Bilous, included addresses by Dr. Olenka Pevny, a Metropolitan Museum of Art research assistant who was involved in the preparation of the Met's upcoming exhibition "The Glory of Byzantium," and Dr. Victor Kytasty, director of America House, a cultural center of the United States Information Service in Kyiv. Mr. Kytasty represented Ambassador William Green Miller, who could not attend due to unforeseen circumstances. A musical interlude was presented by pianists Myroslav Skoryk and Volodymyr Vynnytsky, and mezzo-soprano Marianna Vynnytsky.

Thanking participants and sponsors, the event's chairwoman, Mrs. Tershakovec, noted the presence of members of the museum's new auxiliary organization, the Museum Circle, a group of young professionals formed in 1994 through the efforts of Chrystyna Lewicky and Sofia Zielyk. Mrs. Tershakovec also acknowledged with gratitude the pledges made by dinner guests - totaling $260,000 - which will be used toward the construction of a much-needed, larger museum facility.

The project, which should reach completion in 1998, involves the reconstruction of a commercial building at 220 E. Sixth St. into a new facility designed by George Sawicki of the Greenfield Sawicki Tarella architectural firm. Demolition and cleaning of the building's interior have been completed, and work has begun on a new 22,000-square-foot structure for exhibitions, study and storage of collections that will be built on the old foundations. Plans call for a tripartite brick-and-stone facade that will be unified by a curved wall encompassing the third floor, which will house the archives and provide storage space. There will be a curved metal canopy above the entrance.

The new facility provides an opportunity for individuals to associate their names or those they wish to honor by giving donations in various categories. A number of individuals and institutions have already made donations between $50,000 and $150,000 to finance rooms in the new museum; these rooms will be named after their benefactors.

To a great extent, the growth and future of The Ukrainian Museum is dependent on its members, many of whom give annual donations when they pay their membership dues (memberships are available in several categories and provide special benefits that are not available to the general public). The museum also receives assistance from state and federal grants.

In the months to come, it will be exciting to watch the new museum take shape. Once the facility is open for use, I know that the sense of excitement will be repeated each time I walk through the doors at 220 E. Sixth St., for there will be even more cultural riches to view and enjoy in that expanded and modern space.

A centuries-old tradition

Kylyms, those tapestry-like rugs with identical designs on both sides, have been created by Ukrainians for centuries. The hand-made, flat-woven textiles were used primarily as wall hangings and floor and furniture coverings, and also had traditional uses in wedding and funeral rituals.

A large collection of attractive and diversified kylyms from the 19th and early 20th centuries is owned by The Ukrainian Museum, and part of this collection is on display at the museum (fourth floor) as part of its anniversary celebration. The exhibit runs through February 23.

The kylyms show stylized floral, geometric-floral and geometric motifs, with ornamentation arranged rhythmically on a central field surrounded by a border or set in a linear arrangement from selvage to selvage. In most cases, a variety of shades of one basic color are combined and harmonized against a field of black, grey or brown.

Although the majority of the kylyms on display are from western Ukraine, with about half of these from the Kosiv area, the exhibit includes kylyms from eastern Ukraine as well. One of these, a kylym with a tulip motif in the central field, shows Turkish and Persian influences and a red-and-black color scheme typical of older kylyms from south-central Ukraine.

An outstanding kylym from Peremyshl, which carries a geometric design that imitates an embroidery pattern, bears the initials "O.K." for both Olena Kulchytska, the designer, and Olha Kulchytska, the weaver.

A blue background distinguishes a 1930s kylym from Kosiv; its ornamentation consists of yellow and orange-hued geometric flowers set on a light blue field surrounded by an off-white border.

A large, multi-colored kylym with geometric floral motifs and a brick-toned border was donated to the museum by Nadia and Yaroslav Pastushenko of New York. It was woven during the 1820s in the home of Motria Kalba-Pastushenko in the village of Dobromirka, Zbarazh district of Halychyna, and was part of her dowry.

According to the museum's folk-art curator, Mrs. Wolynetz, the art of kylym-making flourished in Ukraine during the 17th and 18th centuries, although research has shown that Ukrainians used kylyms as early as the 10th century.

Ukrainian kylyms show influences from the East - the result of trade contacts with Eastern nations and warfare with Eastern nomadic tribes that roamed the Ukrainian steppes - and, later, influences from the West, all of that were absorbed and adapted to Ukrainian tastes and the Ukrainian concept of beauty.

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