BRAMA, Mar. 20, 2000, 10:00pm EST

The Ukrainian Museum 203 Second Avenue (bet. 12th & 13th Sts.) New York, NY 10003 Wed. thru Sun. 1-5PM (212) 228-0110 e-mail: UkrMus@aol.com * www.brama.com/ukrainian_museum

Detail of the main entrance to the Poltava Zemstvo Building. Designed by Vasyl H. Krychevsky.

One of the most important, aesthetically rewarding and interesting exhibitions at The Ukrainian Museum will be closing on March 26, 2000. The exhibition, The Cultural Legacy of Vasyl Hryhorovych Krychevsky is a striking testament to the artist's superb talent as a painter. In addition, the viewers are presented with an opportunity to learn about his other achievements in the creative field as well, particularly as an architect and graphic artist and to appreciate his accomplishments in the area of scholarly research and education. The paintings on exhibition were bequeathed to the Museum's Fine Arts collection by Vadym and Olha Pavlovsky.

In bringing to a close the Museum's tribute to Vasyl H. Krychevsky, honoring him as one of Ukraine's outstanding public figures of the 20^th century, two events have been planned, to be held at the institution, on the weekend of March 24^th.

The first entitled "An Evening to Celebrate Vasyl H. Krychevsky," is being organized by the Ukrainian Museum's Public Relations Committee of Young Professionals, and is scheduled for Friday, March 24, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Situated in the Museum, in a social and casual atmosphere, the organizers aim to bring together young people - students and young professionals - to acquaint them with the Museum, and to encourage them to a greater participation in its activities.

Vasyl H. Krychevsky View of Kyiv from the Holosiev District 1928, oil on cardboard

An overview of the exhibition with a gallery talk is also scheduled for the evening's agenda. The talk, in the English language, will be offered by Myroslava M. Mudrak, Ph.D., an Associate Professor in the Department of History of Art at Ohio State University. In her short presentation Dr. Mudrak will explore the prevailing artistic impulses influencing V. Krychevsky, particularly the effect of impressionist and luminist tendencies on the development of his painting style.

On Sunday, March 26^th at 2:00 PM, the Museum will present a lecture, illustrated with slides, featuring Dr. Mudrak, who will discuss "Krychevsky and the Ukrainian Modern Style." Against the background of the exhibition, she will explore the multi-faceted creative genius of V. Krychevsky. Dr. Mudrak will examine his role as the principal propagator of a modernist visual culture in Ukraine in the early twentieth century, focusing on the master as the originator of a native modern expression in architecture, as well as the key instigator of a native arts and crafts movement that earned him the title of Father of the Ukrainian Modern Style.

V. Krychevsky was "a man who wore many hats." He produced set and costume designs for the Ukrainian theater and worked as an art director and consultant to the Ukrainian film industry. For over a quarter of century he was one of Ukraine's most esteemed educators, one of the organizers of the Ukrainian State Academy of Arts in 1917, its first president and a teacher on its staff.

Invitation to the event An Evening with Krychevsky. Design by Olexa Hewryk.

Without doubt V. Krychevsky's greatest achievement in the field of architecture was his design of the Poltava Regional Administrative Building. The winning entry in 1903 architectural competition, it gave impetus to the revival of the traditions of Ukrainian folk architecture to modern stone structures and set a trend in that direction among young architects in Ukraine.

The Museum is very pleased to present Professor Myrolsava M. Mudrak as a speaker in the above mentioned events, since she has devoted her scholarly interest to the study of art in East Central Europe, Ukraine and Russia. Although her areas of expertise also include the history of Ukrainian art from Byzantium to the present, modern art between the two world wars and Socialist Realism and art under totalitarianism, she concentrates mostly on the modernist period of the early twentieth century. Dr. Mudrak defended her doctoral thesis at the University of Texas at Austin and her seminal work, New Generation and Aritstic Modernism in Ukraine (1986) was awarded the Kovaliw Prize for Ukrainian Studies. She lectures extensively and has published numerous articles in prestigious art journals.

For further information, please contact The Ukrainian Museum at 203 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10003; Tel: (212) 228-0110; E-mail: UkrMus@aol.com. Our website is: www.brama.com/ukrainian_museum.

Museum hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 1 - 5