UNA donation supports Christian Arts Fund

by Volodymyr Oliynyk

KYIV - With the assistance of Victor Kytasty, the director of America House in Kyiv, and a $500 donation from the Ukrainian National Association, the Christian Arts Fund, founded in 1995, recently organized an exhibit of works by contemporary Ukrainian artists in Krakow.

The Kyiv-based fund, which promotes young artists, aims to revitalize Ukrainian culture and help with the spiritual rebirth of today's youth, not only in Kyiv, but in such eastern Ukrainian cities as Dnipropetrovske and Kharkiv.

Last summer the group organized an exhibit of religious art in Kyiv's Ukrainian House, which received good reviews and gave the organizers the energy and enthusiasm to plan new projects.

Dr. Volodymyr Mokry of the St. Volodymyr Center in Krakow met some of the fund's leaders during a visit to Poland in 1995 and invited the CAF's artists to hold an art exhibit. Given that the fund promotes Christian ideals, the organizers decided to hold a thematic exhibit they titled "Good News: Christian Motifs in Contemporary Ukrainian Art."

Displayed throughout the winter months of 1996, the works were well received not only by Ukrainians living in Krakow, but also by the citizens of the city and a large number of tourists.

The Polish organizers of the exhibit asked that the graphic works of Ukrainian artists Mykola Stratilat - one of the artists from Kyiv whose works were part of the group show - remain in Krakow for a prolonged viewing. The city's local government also praised the works on view. Given that Kyiv and Krakow are sister cities, the magistrate of Krakow suggested that Kyiv days be held in Krakow during the summer months of 1996.

In return, the CAF proposed that an exhibit of works by Nikifor Drovniak (1895-1968), a Lemko painter from Krynytsia, be held in Kyiv this summer. Negotiations to conduct such an exhibit are currently under way.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, July 28, 1996, No. 30, Vol. LXIV

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