DATELINE NEW YORK: Icon and jewelry exhibit (05/25/97)

DATELINE NEW YORK: Icon and jewelry exhibit

by Helen Smindak

An exhibit and sale of splendid contemporary icons by Ukrainian and Greek artists and antique icons by anonymous artists opened at the Ukrainian Institute of America on May 5 with a concert of classical music and a showing of slides from Slavko Nowytski's research material for his icon film project.

More than 60 works, some of them from private collections, were included in the exhibit, which closed May 18. Prices ranged from $300 for Yaroslava Stojko's icon "Archangel (The Angel with Golden Hair)" and an anonymous Pochayiv icon to $4,500 for a large icon by Greek iconographer Lawrence Manos, "Theotokos with Jesus Christ Seated on a Throne with Angels Left and Right."

Ukrainian artists represented in the exhibit included the late Sviatoslav Hordynsky (whose "Mother and Child" icon is valued at $1,500), the late Marko Zubar (1925-1990), Yuriy Kozak, the father-and-son duo of Boris and Sviatoslav Makarenko, Roman Markovych, Lidia Piaseckyj, Mrs. Stojko, Halyna Tytla and Yaroslava Surmach Mills.

Several antique icons and an icon by Andriy Humeniuk came from the Chryzanta Kaminskyj-Hentisz Gallery in New Jersey. A number of icons overlaid with silver, gold and enamel designs, by anonymous artists, were from the private collection of Irene Gajeckij, while two ceramic icons by Marco Zubar (not for sale) were from Jose and Ika Koznarska Casanova's collection.

Greek entries included several works by Mr. Manos and George Filippakis and a Byzantine-style wood carving by Konstantine Pylarinos.

Also on display was jewelry by Ukraine-born Masha Archer, daughter of the famous Ukrainian sculptor Mykola (Bohdan) Mukhyn. Ms. Archer creates necklaces featuring replicas of icons worn during pilgrimages. One of these contains 20 strands of garnets, jade rounds and cones that hold a bronze replica of a 17th century Holy Virgin icon.

Curator Christine Holowchak-DeBarry, who has had extensive experience in setting up in exhibits for the Pastel Society of America, the Salmagundi Club and other organizations, says she focused on artists who work in the traditional style of iconography to stay in character with the Byzantium exhibition under way at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. She contacted individual iconographers from the Ukrainian and Greek communities.

Downplaying her own contribution to the organization of the exhibit, Ms. Holowchak-DeBarry pointed instead to the work done by the institute's executive director, Stephanie Charczenko, in preparing the show. "Stephanie did a great job in public relations, as well as elegantly and efficiently coordinating the art, music, publicity and hospitality for this special event," the curator noted.

The musical program featured appearances by soprano Lesia Hrabova, baritone Oleh Chmyr, tenor Roman Tsymbala, violinist Yuri Mazurkevich, pianist Volodymyr Vynnytsky and the Leontovych String Quartet - Mr. Mazurkevich, Yuri Kharenko, Borys Deviatov and Volodymyr Panteleyev.

The star of the evening was a New York City Opera soloist, soprano Oksana Krovytska, who sang Myroslav Skoryk's soft and poignant "Melody" and the sprightly "Oy, Yavore" (Oh Maple) by Mykola Leontovych and A. Philipenko. She was joined by Mr. Tsymbala in a heart-warming rendition of Oksana and Andrii's joyful duet from Hulak-Artemovsky's popular opera "Zaporozhets za Dunayem." Ms. Krovytska, who is scheduled to appear with the New American Chamber Orchestra in a Shostakovich tribute at Alice Tully Hall on May 29, remained after the concert to mingle with artists, performers and guests at a wine and cheese reception.

As part of the two-week exhibit, a demonstration of icon painting with egg tempera was given on May 10 by Mrs. Mills, drawing a large audience to the institute at 79th Street and Fifth Avenue.

The exhibit, sponsored by the institute and the Hellenic Cultural Center, was held in conjunction with The Metropolitan Museum exhibition "The Glory of Byzantium."

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