Remembering Kateryna Bilokur

Ukraine's most recent special release featuring folk art was part of a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Figure 7). Two stamps with a central non-denominated label show paintings by Kateryna Bilokur (1900-1961), the self-taught but amazingly talented master of folk art from the village of Bohdanivka, Poltava region. As a youngster, Bilokur's parents frowned on her passion for art, but she persisted and was eventually allowed to paint. Recognition of her work began to grow steadily before World War II, but almost all of her pre-war paintings were lost when the Poltava Art Museum burned down. The 15 years after the war were her most productive and creative. A spinster, semi-invalid and somewhat of a recluse, she died alone in her native village.

The two flanking stamps show pictures of flowers (her favorite subject) from her pre- and post-war periods. The painting on the 30-kopiika stamp is titled "Flowers in Fog" (1940); the subject of the 50-kopiika stamp on the right is "Bouquet of Flowers" (1959). A self-portrait of the artist appears on the central label.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, June 6, 1999, No. 23, Vol. LXVII

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