BOOK NOTES

A book of photographs from Ukraine

by George Gajecky

WOODSIDE, N.Y. - In selecting a gift, one wants something beautiful, unique, memorable and of lasting value. Now such a gift is available - a book of photographs of Ukraine by Tania (Mychaylyshyn) D'Avignon. It is called "Simply Ukraine" (Prosto Ukraina), published in Kyiv by Artex, and contains 190 pages of color photos in a 10-by-14-inch format.

Ms. D'Avignon has worked and traveled in Ukraine for the past 15 years. She photographed various aspects of Ukrainian life and customs, and exhibited her photos in most larger Ukrainian cities.

The book is full of optimism and joyous exposition of Ukrainian life. Ms. D'Avignon, who has worked with National Geographic magazine for a number of years, picks a rare moment or an impressionistic effect with a discerning eye. She celebrates women - dozens of them, young and old, dressed in colorful Hutsul or Bukovynian costumes, or in drab work clothes. She includes gorgeous Ukrainian landscapes, four of Mount Hoverlia alone. Ms. D'Avignon loves flowers, poppies, hollyhocks and others. She includes multitudes of birds and animals. The storks are fascinating, including the one on the cover.

Ms. D'Avignon is able to make viewers share in the excitement of a Hutsul wedding, witness the blessing of holy water at Epiphany in Ivano-Frankivsk, enjoy the Malanka parade and be horrified by the images of the Chornobyl catastrophe.

The book's more than 200 photographs show the glory of Ukraine: the majestic cathedrals of St. Sophia in Kyiv and of St. George in Lviv, as well as other monasteries and monuments. (Hopefully, in the next edition, a map of Ukraine will be provided along with a brief information about the churches and monasteries.)

Ms. D'Avignon provides several charming close-ups of her famous friends - Nazarii Iaremchuk, Nina Matvienko, Oksana Bilozir, Pavlo Dvorskyi.

The results are outstanding - this is a superb book that can be given with pride to relatives, friends and colleagues, for anniversaries, weddings or holidays.

To order: send a check for $35, plus $5 for shipping, to: Tania D'Avignon, 25 Church St., Newton, MA 02458; phone, (617) 964-1942.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, March 14, 1999, No. 11, Vol. LXVII

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