“With his example he taught self-respect to people”

Well-known Ukrainian gra­phic artist Bohdan Soroka passed away at the age of 75. The tragedy happened beyond Ukraine, in Poland, where Soroka was staying with his friend.

Back in 2011 The Day congratulated Soroka on the publication of the wonderful album Soroka, which includes, apart from works, the autobiography of the artist.

It will be reminded that the artist was born in 1940 in the prison Bryhidky, where his mother Kateryna Zarytska was serving her term. His father Mykhailo Soroka, a Ukrainian dissident, member of OUN, for 30 years was a prisoner of the Soviet camps and organized a movement of prisoners’ resistance OUN-Pivnich (OUN-North). Bohdan Soroka belonged to the circle of the Sixtiers, was friends with Viacheslav Chor­no­vil, Ihor and Iryna Kalynets, the Horyn brothers. His gra­phic works are black-and-white and co­lored. He is known for the cycles of his works, “Folklore Motifs,” “Ukrainian Mythology,” “Emblems and Symbols,” “The Passion of the Christ,” “A march of gnomes,” “Midsummer Fun,” etc.

The requiem mass took place in Lviv in the Church of St. Clement Sheptytsky. After that the funeral procession moved to the Lychakivske Cemetery, where the Ukrainian artist was buried in the 59th field.

Його графіка чорно-біла і кольорова. Відомий циклами робіт «Фольклорні мотиви», «Українська міфологія», «Емблеми та символи», «Страсті Христові», «Похід гномиків», «Купальські забави» та ін.

Ihor KALYNETS, poet, prose author, public figure:

“I was lucky to have many friends among Sixtier artists in Lviv. I practically was growing up more with them than with writers. And Bohdan Soroka was one of them. Our friendship started in an interesting way, with a criminal case. He made illustrations for my book, which was not approved by KGB, and as a result a criminal case was launched against me. During the investigation they tried to figu­re out what Bohdan’s role was. After all, a case was launched against him, too. But the graphic was absolutely innocent, there were no political motifs, more folklore ones, but they were perceived as anti-Soviet. We hardly managed to save him. We agreed to tell that I used his graphic works that fitted my poetry without permission and that I was responsible for everything. That was the time of our first common test and trial.

“I cannot but mention his understanding. When I was left alone and was waiting for an arrest, he somehow felt that he had to come and support me, although he didn’t know anything, because we didn’t have any telephones. The KGB came to search my house and I told Bohdan that they wouldn’t let him go before the search is over, and he replied, ‘I’m not going to return, because I’ve come to support my friend.’ We were talking in the kitchen, while they were searching the rooms.

“I can say that we were learning from one another. I cognized art, and he with a company of artists listened to my poems and not only them. That was how we were orienting in the European art, tried to pick up the moral knowledge. You could learn the truthfulness from Bohdan Soroka, because he did not lie. Maybe that was what allowed him to quickly develop as a graphic artist. He painted the landscapes, Hutsul still lifes, and many other good things, but suddenly faced with something unknown, and he was attracted to exploring something non-trivial. This unknown made him develop, thus deepening the graphic art in several directions.

“He has always been a man of principle, even rigorous to some extent. For if he saw that people were doing something wrong, he said openly and directly about that, he didn’t hide. Anyway, people often disliked him because he accused others of corruption or some bad things. Such people started to avoid him. They were afraid of what he was. Apparently, he was intolerant to lie and insincerity in the art world, which is why he was protesting against it.

“He won the recognition and independent existence himself, didn’t depend on current conditions and never asked to be approved as an artist. He paved his way on his own. Having such a temper, Bohdan was a very interesting figure, who exceeded the limits of Lviv and ordinary Ukrainian artist. Apparently, by doing so, he brought to Ukrainians and foreigners the truth about Ukraine and won the fame of a well-known artist. This is a huge loss, we have lost also a citizen, because he belonged to the outstanding Ukrainian patriots and was seriously respected. With his example he taught self-respect and critical thinking to people. Ukraine has lost a person who was honest and frank to himself above all.”