Chicago museum presents art by Sayenko family
by Maria Klymchak
CHICAGO - The Ukrainian National Museum in Chicago is presenting the artistry of the renowned Sayenko family: Oleksandr (1899-1995) and Nina Sayenko, and Lesia Maidanets-Sayenko from Kyiv - on May 12-June 12 in the museum gallery.
The art of the Sayenko family is grounded in a thorough understanding of Ukrainian culture, traditions and heritage, incorporating elements of nature. Oleksandr Sayenko rose above his disabilities and proved to the world that there were no obstacles that could not be surmounted with a strong will and a belief in the beauty and goodness that surround us. Having lost his speech and hearing in early childhood, he built on his appreciation of beauty and love of nature.
His daughter Nina inherited her father's creativity. Ms. Sayenko, a renowned Ukrainian artist, founder and teacher at the Oleksandr Sayenko Artist Studio for Deaf and Dumb Children, followed in her father's footsteps as an art historian and curator of exhibits. Through her efforts, her father's dream of establishing an art museum in the village of Borzna, Chernihiv Oblast, was fulfilled. Ms. Sayenko is well-known for her expertise in curating museum collections and organizing art exhibitions. In her role as administrator of the Alipii Gallery of the Palace of Culture "Ukrainian Home" in Kyiv, she has organized numerous art festivals and exhibits.
The artistry of Ms. Sayenko is evident in her kilims, gobelen and straw mosaics. Her works are contemporary, yet traditional in composition and technology of creation, often highlighting the traditions of her native Chernihiv region.
The creative spirit of the Sayenko dynasty continued into the next generation, which became evident as Nina's daughter Lesia Maidanets-Sayenko began at an early age to emulate her grandfather's artistry. Ms. Maidanets-Sayenko completed her education at the Lviv Academy of Art and is a member of the Ukrainian Artists Union. In her tapestries and textile paintings she incorporates keen insights into Ukrainian history and culture, its songs, legends and folklore, from the Trypillian to the modern era. Her works address moral, ethical and aesthetic aspects of Ukrainian folklore, ecology and nature, creating a world of beauty, harmony and goodness.
The creativity of the Sayenko family is an excellent example of the continuity of artistic traditions, spanning generations and adding to cultural identity.
The Sayenko family has exhibited its collection to laudatory reviews in Australia, Canada, France, Greece, Germany, Poland Belgium, China and Russia.
The Sayenko family exhibit is on view at the Ukrainian National Museum, 2249 W. Superior St., Chicago.
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, May 14, 2006, No. 20, Vol. LXXIV
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