FOCUS ON PHILATELY: A master artist for a master ensemble (12/02/01)

FOCUS ON PHILATELY

by Ingert Kuzych

A master artist for a master ensemble

Ever since I seriously took up Ukrainian philately, I have been aware of the many stamplike seals - sometimes termed cinderella issues - that are also available for collecting. I was always amazed at the plethora of well-crafted designs on these seals, and was always proud of the fact that the Ukrainian diaspora was able to produce such an abundance of counter propaganda to combat Soviet communist disinformation.

It wasn't until just recently, however, that I was surprised to learn that so many of the seals I grew up with - and that I saw on so many pieces of mail during the 1970s and 1980s - were the work of one man: John Jaciw, master graphic artist of the diaspora.

In 1960, under the sponsorship of the Ukrainian Bandurists Chorus (UBC) of Detroit and its late leader Petro Honcharenko, Mr. Jaciw began to create commemorative seals. That year two issues honored the chorus' "Goodwill Mission" (Figure 1); the following year two seals remembered the 150th anniversary of the birth of Taras Shevchenko (Figure 2). In 1962, these latter seals were reissued in different colors (Figure 3). All these early emissions had a numeral value designation of five cents (Goodwill Mission) and four cents (Shevchenko issues) and thus more closely resembled regular commemorative stamps. Subsequent seals did not display any value numeration.

Four seals were produced in 1963-1964, including three anticipating the centennial of the passing of Taras Shevchenko (in 1964). Two of these three issues were printed in diamond shapes (Figure 4), the only ones ever designed by Mr. Jaciw and among the very few seals of such shape ever made.

The other seal of 1963 is, I believe, one of Mr. Jaciw's most famous and popular (at least I seemed to come across it quite frequently). It is a poignant image of a grieving mother gazing at her dead child (Figure 5). Released on the 30th anniversary of the Great Famine, its bold "7,000,000 Victims" message was followed by the smaller-sized explanation "Of Intentional Famine Arranged by the Kremlin 1933 in Ukraine." This gripping design educated many who used the mails in the 1960s and 1970s, both Ukrainian and non-Ukrainian.

Beginning in 1966 and continuing to 1996, Mr. Jaciw produced five new seal designs every year (the exceptions were 1967, 1969 and 1971 when only four were printed). In general, Mr. Honcharenko selected the subjects for the seals, but Mr. Jaciw would also contribute his own ideas.

It soon became obvious that these little paper labels would serve two purposes. First, these seals would serve the same function as the more famous Christmas Seals. They would be sent to patrons of the Ukrainian Bandurists Chorus and help raise funds for the often "monetarily challenged" musical ensemble. Their other duty was to inform the West of various Ukrainian heroes, tragedies, causes and accomplishments.

In 1968 a Christmas motif was made one of the five designs for the first time; starting in 1973, the inclusion of a Christmas-themed seal became an annual tradition. Through 1974, some of the commemorative seals were produced in a comb perforated format; beginning the following year and until 1996, all seals were simply line perforated.

During 1970 and 1971 the production of some larger-sized seals was experimented with. The first year saw the printing of another design I seemed to encounter quite often and which very effectively proclaimed its message. The stark image of Death points at the name of "Lenin"; the subsequent message announces: "Father of the Murderess of Nations USSR!" and below "70,000,000 Victims at 100th Anniversary of His Birth." The greater size of the seal, the heavy use of black, and the accusatory image really made this issue an attention grabber (Figure 6).

It is obvious that Mr. Jaciw enjoyed being able to work in a larger format. Some of his best and most detailed designs were executed during those two years. Among my favorites from this time are seals honoring St. Olha (Figure 7) and the writer Vasyl Stefanyk (Figure 8).

Occasionally during the 1970s, and particularly during the 1980s, Mr. Jaciw portrayed the repression of various intellectuals in Ukraine, both in the past and during that time. In 1974 Valentyn Moroz was remembered; he would be followed by Hryhory Chuprynka, Volodymyr Ivasiuk, Alla Horska, Vyacheslav Chornovil and Vasyl Stus among many others (Figure 9).

However, commemorations of better-known historic or religious individuals were not forgotten. Seals of Yaroslav Mudry, Ivan Franko, Ivan Mazepa, Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, Metropolitan Vasyl Lypkivsky, Lesia Ukrainka, Hryhorii Skovoroda, Volodymyr the Great and many others were produced (Figure 10).

In addition, no favoritism was shown to any Ukrainian political party. So, stamps of Mykhailo Hrushevsky, Pavlo Skoropadsky, Symon Petliura, Stepan Bandera, and Augustine Voloshyn were also created. The only discrimination meted out by Messrs. Honcharenko and Jaciw was aimed against Communist persecutors.

The partnership between these two talented individuals continued for 36 years until 1996, shortly before Mr. Honcharenko's passing. A total of 162 of the 167 seals created between 1957 and 1996 were designed by Mr. Jaciw.

No further "philatelic" creations by Mr. Jaciw have been made over the last five years, but that situation may soon change. Mr. Jaciw and I have discussed a number of projects recently, some of which may finally allow for him to attain his fondest wish - the design of a true postage stamp.

Stay tuned. If successful, we will report on the design process in a future article.

Ingert Kuzych may be contacted at P.O. Box 3, Springfield, VA 22150 or at his e-mail address: ingert@starpower.net.

Autobiographical statement by John Jaciw

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