Exxpllore and Experience Our Past at the Ukrainiian Museum and Library off Stamford Curator Lubow Wolynetz shares the treasures of ’s Kobzar

few years in Geneva and later in Sofia, Bul- fering under tyranny. These illustrations, in re- Opening remarks at the concert garia. In 1863 and 1876 the Tsarist govern- ality, reflected very graphically the abuses suf- were delivered by Rev. N. Pidhorecky, ment issued two decrees (Valuyev and Emsk fered by the people under the Soviet system of pastor of St. George Ukrainian Catholic decrees, consecutively) which stated that the Stalin’s tyranny. Church in New York City. In the June 4th, never existed, does not Sedliar managed to 1914 issue of the Svoboda newspaper a existandwillneverexistandthereforeitisfor- publish a second bidden, under penalty of law,to publish any- description of the parade and concert was thinginUkrainian.Accordingtothedecreesit edition of his given, which was as follows: The march was also forbidden to import any publication Kobzar in 1933. began at 4 PM from 7th Street which in Ukrainian from abroad. Olena Pchilka, These illustrations went up 5th Avenue. Members of the 28 uponvisitingherbrother,wantedverymuchto were too close to the organizations were marching with their bring a copy of the Geneva edition of truth of Stalin’s emblems, flags and informative signs. At Shevchenko’s poetry back home. Knowing atrocities. Soon the head of the parade was a contingent fullwellherluggagewouldbesearchedbythe Sedliar, as well as of young men on horseback dressed in Russianpoliceuponherreturn,shehidthevol- Boichuk and other Cossack costumes. Four white horses umeofpoetryinherhoopskirtandthusman- pulled a float with a portrait of Taras agedtobringitsafelyhometoKyiv. Shevchenko. Sixteen girls dressed in AthirditemofinterestistheKobzar artists of this group, Ukrainian folk costumes carried a sign began to be persecuted upon which were written words from by Stalin. In 1937 Shevchenko’s Testament: Within the Ukrain- Sedliar, Boichuk, And in the great new family, ian community the month of Padalka and others The family of the free, March is always dedicated to were arrested and tor- With softly spoken, kindly word Taras Shevchenko (March 9, tured. A secret trial was Remember also me. 1814 – March 10, 1861) a held and the artists There were 6000 participants great poet, artist, and national were accused of ab- in the parade marching bard of . His poetry surd crimes (being to the music of 8 orches- greatly influenced the growth spies for the Vatican, planning terrorist acts, tras. 10,000 brochures ofnationalconsciousnessand etc.) and sentenced to death. They were ex- about Ukraine and Taras inspired the people to cultural ecuted October 13, 1937. Their bodies were Shevchenko, in English, and political rebirth. The im- buried in a mass grave outside Kyiv known were distributed to on- pact of his ideas has a power- as Bykivnia. Sedliar’s art work, as lookers; 4000 attended fulinfluenceonUkrainianstothisday. well as Boichuk’s, was destroyed. the concert. Many were TheUkrainianMuseumandLi- publishedin1931andillus- The fourth item will be of spe- turned away because brary of Stamford is very proud to have trated by Vasyl Sedliar cial interest to the in the there was no room. Be- among its library holdings quite rare (1899-1937). Diaspora. In celebration of the sides the main address Shevchenkianaitems. VasylSedliarwas 100th anniversary of there were other impor- First and foremost, we have the a painter and graphic artist. Shevchenko’s birth the Ukrainian tant speakers. A Polish delegate delivered veryfirstpublicationofShevchenko’spo- He belonged to the community in New York City organ- a greeting in the name of 87 Polish soci- etry,theKobzar.Itwaspublishedin1840 Mykhailo Boichuk School ized a concert which took place May eties. An address in English was delivered inSt.Petersburgandcontains8poems. ofArt.M.Boichukcreated 30, 1914 in Webster Hall on 11th by Andrew Shipman, a New York lawyer Another rare item is a volume a new and original art style Street in Manhattan. In our collection and a very good friend of the Ukrainians. entitledPoeziiT.Hr.Shevchenka.Zaboro- known as neo-Byzantine. we have the program of this concert. He helped Ukrainians in various legal nenivRossii(PoetryofT.Hr.Shevchenko) This art mode was a blend As noted in the program, prior to the transactions. He also translated the publishedinGenevain1890withthesub- of modern art trends with Ukrainian Liturgy into English which title“ForbiddeninRussia”.Thisbookwas concert a march-parade took place the traditional folk and down the streets of the City. Many was published in 1911. publishedthroughtheeffortsofMykhailo Byzantine art styles. It de- Drahomaniv, brother of Olena Pchilka Ukrainian Societies and Brother- veloped into the “style of simplified monu- hoods of New York City and its vicinity (28 in (mother of Lesia Ukrainka). Mykhailo mental forms.” Sedliar illustrated the Kobzar Drahomaniv was exiled by the Tsarist all) participated, with orchestra and bands and Russiangovernmentbecauseofhispolit- using contemporary depictions of headed by members carrying banners and flags ical writings.While in exile he lived for a Shevchenko’sheroesenduringabuseandsuf- of these organizations.

MARCH 28, 2010