The Ukrainian Museum presents two artists' visions of pysanky (03/14/99)

The Ukrainian Museum presents two artists' visions of pysanky

by Marta Baczynsky

NEW YORK - The Ukrainian Museum's exhibition of pysanky, or Ukrainian Easter eggs, this year is presented in the work of two outstanding Ukrainian artists. The exhibition features traditional decorated eggs created by Tanya Osadca, and multifaceted contemporary works of art by Aka Pereyma. "Pysanka, Ukraine's Cultural Icon: Preserved in the Traditional Form by Tanya Osadca and in the Contemporary Art of Aka Pereyma" opens on March 21 and will be shown through June 6.

Ukrainian pysanky trace their origins to antiquity. Eggs themselves were always a source of wonder and magic for primitive people. Seen as the embodiment of the renewal of life, eggs played an important role in celebrations of spring. They were decorated with specific designs and colors that held symbolic meaning, and were used in prescribed rites and rituals. When Christianity was accepted in Ukraine in the 10th century, pysanky were incorporated into Easter observances.

The 400 pysanky on display in this exhibition are rich in the variety of symbolic decorations and colors. Regional differences in designs and color schemes are prominent, and almost all regions of Ukraine are represented in this collection. The designs on the pysanky were decorated in the traditional manner, using the wax- resist technique. Most of the designs are very old, according to Ms. Osadca, who researches them in rare and antiquated publications and in collections held by museums in Ukraine.

Ms. Osadca is a respected authority on Ukrainian folk art, especially pysanky, and a master artisan of the craft. She studied art history at Kent State University, but her spare time was devoted to the promotion of the pysanka art through education, lectures and visual demonstration.

For many years Ms. Osadca has been involved in research of the history, symbolism and application of ancient pysanky designs. Her work has been translated into the development of one of the most important, interesting and rare pysanky collections outside of Ukraine. She has shown her collection in many exhibitions throughout the U.S., Canada and Ukraine.

The traditional motifs of the pysanka permeate the contemporary art works of Pereyma, who has adopted the lore, Ms. passion and enchantment of Ukrainian folk art, which is revealed in the ideogrammatic manner in which she expresses her creative thought. The artist uses pysanka elements to deal with themes such as the cycle of life and nature, and the mysteries of the universe in oil paintings, works of mixed media, ceramics and metal sculpture - examples of which will be on exhibit.

Ms. Pereyma studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and at the Dayton Art Institute in Dayton, Ohio, earning a diploma in sculpture. She learned welding at the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology in Troy, Ohio. Collections of her work have been shown in solo and group exhibitions in the U.S., Canada and Ukraine.

"Pysanka, Ukraine's Cultural Icon" continues The Ukrainian Museum's series of exhibitions titled "In Celebration of Private Collectors."

The Ukrainian Museum is located at 203 Second Ave.; telephone, (212) 228-0110; fax, (212) 228-1947; e-mail, UkrMus@aol.com; website, http://www.brama,com/ukrainian_museum. Museum hours are Monday-Sunday, 1-5 p.m., Admission fee: $3 for adults; $1.50 for senior citizens and children over age 12.

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