Ukraine One Year Later
Mad'in Europe
The source of European professionals in fine & traditional crafts, and restoration of cultural heritage.
A year has passed since we dedicated our first newsletter to Ukrainian craftspeople.?We interviewed a number of them to understand their situation?and the danger that threatened Ukrainian culture, in addition to their lives and those of their relatives. By taking stock one year later, we have once again the proof that the cultural heritage becomes hostage in case of conflict and that the identity of a people can be threatened in all its manifestations. And yet, the words collected among the craftsmen testify to an extraordinary resilience, an immense courage, and the firm conviction that?craftsmanship contributes to preserving a culture.?The Vyshyvanka Day, rewarded by the Europa Nostra award, and more generally the look of the international community, and the numerous cultural projects that have been created in the last year to support the Ukrainian people, are proof of this. Let's pay tribute to the Ukrainian craftsmen, to their know-how and let's take example of their attachment to their culture.
18th May 2023 - Vyshyvanka Day
The Vyshyvanka is not only the traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt. Since Lesia Voroniuk launched the idea to wear it?each third Thursday of May, as a symbol of Ukrainian identity, the initiative has continuously grown and gathers now?more than 20 million people, from all over the world. We had the pleasure to meet Lesia and ask her some questions…
Embroideries of Ukraine
"Embroidery is not an accident, but a collection of our history, traditions, culture"?says Ukrainian embroiderer, Oksana Rushinets. From roses to squares, from grapes to crosses, from stars to hearts and circles, each embroidered pattern is characteristic to a specific Ukrainian region and refers to a common cultural narrative.
Among other examples,?"The homestead project" brings forward the sense?of cultural belonging though valorisation of traditional costumes.
Olena Fedosyuk
Olena uses wavy lines, stars and colours inspired by nature to express life in each of her works.?“I use Ukrainian forgotten ornaments from museum?exhibitions, old books, I modernize them, and I create my own designs”.
Nataliia Matvieieva
Nataliia?is a?master in the "Verkhoplut", a traditional Ukrainian embroidery stitch. Through her knowledge and experience in the textile craft, she manages to recreate new shirts made with the same cut and embroidery techniques than in the past. Despite the situation in Ukraine, Nataliia insists on continuing to transmit her know-how online.
Larisa Bashchuk
Larisa?combines fashion and hand cross-stitching in a sustainable way! She partially uses stock fabrics, leftovers from industrial production to design unique?and exclusive handmade textile accessories.
Weaving
Textile crafts in Ukraine is not limited to embroidery. Indeed, the tradition of?weaving is very strong in the country since, at least, the 16th century.
Olha Pilyuhina
Olha?is one of the greatest and most experienced tapestry maker of Ukraine! This multi-award winner pursues a longlasting carpet weaving tradition by using high-quality natural wool. She is the bearer of the intangible cultural heritage element "Traditions of plant of Reshetylivka village".
Maryna Tkachenko
Maryna?is a weaver using a Ukrainian hand-held loom and in-house made equipment to make woven edges "krayky" (ethnic belts) which are an integral part?of Ukrainian traditional costumes, rugs, scarves and fabrics.
Traditional jewellery
Handcrafted jewellery has an important role in the composition of the traditional outfit.?The Vyshyvanka is indeed enriched with a set of jewels made of pearls or precious stones.
Andrij Paslavskyi
Andrij and his family make these unique ornaments in colourful and exclusive materials. The pieces are hand-forged and offered in a variety of creations, all of them based on traditional Ukrainian patterns: earrings, necklaces or bracelets...
Glasswork
Ukraine is also home to a?renowned glassmaking tradition. This material is mainly fused, sometimes blown or enamelled giving birth to unique pieces of jewellery, lamps or any object of the everyday life.
Olga Turetska
Fascinated by the beauty of glass, the refraction of light in the glass, the shades of color,?Olga?undertook studies at the?Academy of Art and Glass Art. Today, she produces glass decor, wall art, sculpture and glass jewelry. For her, glass is an opportunity for self-expression.
Woodcrafts
Woodwork is one more emblematic skill that characterizes Ukrainian know-how, given the abundance of this material in the region. This traditional craft is represented in wood constructions and carvings in particularly.
Viktor Rudyk
Viktor?adopts a respectful approach towards nature and leaves the trees inspire him in his work. To make his wooden decorations in the oldwood style he doesn't damage living trees but works with old barn boards or scraps of old furniture. He considers wood as a warm energy material that perfectly matches different design styles.
Victor Schesniuk
In his workshop Starko Tools,?Victor?produces tools for shoemakers. His items are designed for the production of high-quality handmade shoes, his motto is indeed "Elegance and precision".