"DEDICATED TO THE KNIGHT OF HONOR AND GOODNESS"
"Ukraine, the poet's soul will fly to your obzhynky"
L. Poltava
The Kyiv organization of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine and the Sumy Fellowship in Kyiv have teamed up to create an exhibition of paintings dedicated to two important dates: the centenary of Leonid Poltava's birthday (1921-1990) and the thirtieth anniversary of Ukraine's independence. The opening took place in the Ivan Franko Central Library in Kyiv with the participation of members of the Sumy Fellowship and its leader Ivan Mykolayovych Rishnyak.
Let us turn to the history of the struggle for independence of the Ukrainian people, starting from the time of the last Kosh Ataman of the Zaporozhian Sich Peter Kalnyshevsky (1648-1781) - a native of the glorious Cossack land, located near the border with Russia. The author of the article especially emphasizes the special mission of his compatriots in our time - to preserve the borders of Ukraine, to create conditions for the prosperity of its economy, culture and education. Therefore, when we look through the history of this blessed land, the voices of our dignitaries speak to us, who formed the Ukrainian identity, language, preserved the traditions of their people and, most importantly, fought for the independence of Ukraine. In this cohort - and the poet, public figure, journalist, writer Leonid Edvardovich Parkhomovich (literary pseudonyms Ensen, Poltava).
The future literary figure was born in the family of a doctor and a teacher in the village of Vovkivtsi, Romny district. He graduated from the Nizhyn Pedagogical Institute. He began his career in Ukraine, where he lived for 21 years, and the rest of his life - until 1990 - he spent abroad, in Europe and America.
This is how his life turned out, as did thousands of Ukrainians who found themselves in exile seeking refuge from the communist regime. But all his life he dreamed of the independence of the Ukrainian people, prophesied its will and future happy fate in his literary works. In this list of books "The Little Bell Ringer from Konotop", "In the Cherry Country", "Taste of the Sun", "Profiles", "Over the Blue Black Sea", the historical novel "1709"… Many works by Leonid Poltava, in which he painted the image of the renewed , free Ukraine, dedicated to Ukrainian children, youth - in order to instill in them a love for their native language, history, culture.
In order for as many people as possible to learn about our compatriot, we, his compatriots, on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the poet, organized and held a number of cultural events, promoting the creative and social path of the Ukrainian patriot. After the scientific-practical conference "From the cohort of fighters for the independence of Ukraine", which took place in Leonid Poltava's hometown, in Romny, Kyiv got an opportunity to get acquainted with the works of artists from Sumy region, where the Ivan Franko Library "Dedicated to the Knight of Honor and Good." This is what his compatriot, writer Oleksandr Shugai, called Leonid Parkhomovich.
Artists born in Sumy region and living in the capital of Ukraine took part in the creative project. For many, the topic is familiar, dear to the heart, expected. Thus, Lydia Nechyporchuk draws our attention to the palace of Kirill Razumovsky in Baturyn with a panoramic picture "Baturyn floodplains". Bridges of memories connect us with the historical Putivl, where Halyna Bodyakova was born: one of her works is dedicated to a "faithful friend" of a man - a horse that guards the sweet dream of its owner. The plot is filled with warmth, calm, amazing inner strength and nobility. The work is made in the technique of color etching, which is freely owned by the artist.
From Putivl and Yuriy Bazavluk, who prefers temple architecture and rural motifs, in which there is nostalgia for his parents' house. With laconic color accents the artist talentedly conveys the high spirits, the romantic state of his paintings. Such is his courtyard in the Movchansky monastery with golden domes.
The landscapes that are most presented at the exhibition are filled with the romance of picturesque Ukraine and take us to Krolevets, where Lydia Pochekailova's parents' house, to Shostka, where Tamara Tsiun lives, to Kyiv - a pearl of Ukrainian architecture wrapped in Ukrainian autumn gold, the last brush of Oleksandr Masyk years living in the United States.
The still life is full of Ukrainian theme, which is emphasized by details through embroidered towels, bright ceramics, dear to the heart of rural motifs. The wonderful painter Serhiy Kryvenko from Krolevets invites you to his father's well, next to which a viburnum bush burns. It is there in his small homeland that he draws his creative inspiration.
Many artists turned to flowers, as in the paintings of Honored Artist of the country Henry Yagodkin, Honored Worker of Culture of Ukraine Valentina Efremova.
The paintings "Old House on Fiolenta" and "Autumn Shine" by Vitaliy Yudin, Honored Architect of Ukraine, winner of the Taras Shevchenko National Prize, made in a light impressionistic manner, are imbued with sun and positivity. The works of the Honored Artist of Ukraine Serhiy Yareshko are marked with philosophical color - be it still life, landscape or portrait. His self-portrait, made in pastel, attracts attention with the strength and concentration of immersion in the inner psychological state. There is an academic school that the artist has mastered during his years of study at NAOMA, with leading Ukrainian painters.
Tatiana Yagodkina's landscapes are filled with romance, an exquisite transparent palette, and Anna Andreevna Nosenko's pastels enchant with filigree technique.
In general, the exhibition is filled with incredible harmony that affects the emotional state of the viewer. This is how culture, attitude to art, aesthetic features of society are brought up. The red ribbon runs through all the works of love for Ukraine, the land about which Leonid Poltava wrote with the belief that "our Ukraine was a young maiden, the world still knows our Ukraine!". And it is really so - the chairman of the Sumy fellow countryman Ivan Nikolaevich Rishnyak noted, opening an exhibition. Examining the exposition presented in the Ivan Franko Library, he did not ignore any comment, noting the beauty of the Ukrainian land, which was talentedly and lovingly conveyed in their works by artists of Sumy region.
At the exhibition, Ivan Mykolayovych was awarded the "International Ambassador for Peace" award, which testified to his personal merits in preserving peace between the countries of the world. With this award, the International Literary Forum marked the public activity of a famous Ukrainian farmer and statesman, for whom a peaceful life is the most important task, as well as filling the granary of Ukraine with bread. Each participant of the exhibition received a gift certificate, which confirmed his participation in the celebrations dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Independence of Ukraine and the 100th anniversary of the birth of Leonid Poltava.
Activists of Sumy fellow countrymen joined the organization of the event. Special thanks to V. Sobolevsky, O. Lavryk, Y. Kukharchuk, L. Pochekailova, G. Nosenko, S. Korsun (Prykhodko) and the library staff led by the director V. Nikitovych.
The video report was made by the editor-in-chief of the Hetman magazine Igor Kravchuk, our long-term partner in creative activity. The photo session of his colleague - Anna Goryuk was supplemented by Yuriy Kukharchuk, who has been keeping a photo-chronicle of the creative activity of the fellow countrymen since its foundation.
Our joint project is aimed at making the general public learn as much as possible about the Ukrainian poet, writer, public figure, Leonid Poltava, who prayed to Ukraine as an icon, cherishing a dream all his life and fighting for the will and independence of his people. He supported his faith as an instructive literary word, as in the poem "Infinite Battle":
"There are many beautiful places in the world
And languages, and peoples… And now
One we make the next bow
For not wanting to bend his knees -
Unconquered Ukraine! ”
Another page of the glorious history of fighters for the freedom of Ukraine is inscribed in the Golden Pectoral of the Ukrainian people. Among them is the name of a talented Ukrainian, one of the famous prophets of its independence, Leonid Poltava.
"My dear land, all the songs,
I only give you data,
I will kindle them in the fire,
To melt your shackles. "
Project curator Valentina Efremova,
art critic, honored worker of culture of Ukraine
International Ambassador for Peace
Photo by Yuri Kukharchuk
