Ukrainian Art and Literary Club in New York slates closing events (03/12/06)

Ukrainian Art and Literary Club in New York slates closing events

by Anya Farion and Slava Gerulak

NEW YORK - The Ukrainian Art and Literary Club, Inc., which is located at 136 Second Ave. in New York City, will be closing its doors on April 7. It is marking this occasion with two events. One is an exhibition of works from the Ukrainian Artists Association collection, which will open on Sunday, March 19, at 1 p.m., and the second is an educational exhibit and lecture about the Shukhevych family, which will take place on Friday, March 31, at 7 p.m.

The Ukrainian Art and Literary Club was established in November 1949 in New York City by Ukrainian artists, writers and musicians who had emigrated to the United States after the end of World War II. Serhiy Lytvynenko, a sculptor, served as its first president.

The organization was located at 149 Second Ave. in the East Village section of New York City, where it organized exhibitions, lectures and a music school.

In the mid-1970s, with the purchase of the building at 136 Second Ave. by the Organization for the Defense of Four Freedoms for Ukraine, the Ukrainian Art and Literary Club was invited to move across the street to join other organizations in this new Ukrainian center in the East Village.

The UALC moved into the new building, and divided into two separate cultural entities: the Ukrainian Music Institute of America and the Ukrainian Artists Association in the U.S.A. which occupy the fourth floor of 136 Second Ave. to this day.

Mykhailo Chereshniowsky, the noted Ukrainian sculptor, was president of the Ukrainian Artists Association during this time and spearheaded an active exhibition schedule of Ukrainian émigré artists from all over the United States, Canada, South America and Europe.

During the late 1980s, Anya Farion, a sculptor, became the director of the association's gallery and introduced younger artists to the organization. Many artists of Ukrainian American descent had their exhibitions in this space after graduating from art schools. After the Soviet Union fell, artists from Ukraine began arriving in New York, where oftentimes their first exhibitions in the United States were held at the OMYA gallery.

In 1993 Slava Gerulak, an artist, joined Ms. Farion at the Ukrainian Artists Association Gallery as director of the Ukrainian Art and Literary Club, the umbrella organization for the Ukrainian Artists Association, and revived the earlier tradition of holding programs in the gallery on Friday evenings.

These programs complemented and enriched the exhibitions, which were in the gallery. Literary and musical evenings, lectures concerning Ukrainian art and culture, reenactments of rituals, political and historical commemorations and other cultural events were held. It was at this time that the gallery was renamed Mayana Gallery.

The Ukrainian Art and Literary Club and the Ukrainian Artists Association have been vital cultural organizations for the Ukrainian diaspora, having hosted hundreds of exhibitions, lectures and other events. They invite the public to join them as they conclude their activities at their current location.

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