On March 20, 2010, Ivan Mazepa’s birthday, the Ukrainian Museum in New York will launch the exhibit Ukraine–Sweden: At the Crossroads of History (it has been on display in the National Museum of Ukrainian History as previously reported by The Day ). The exposition, which is dedicated to one of the most dramatic periods of our history, the events of the 17th and 18th centuries, is made up of 100 rare pieces from state and private collections of the two countries. In particular, almost half of them have been provided by six Swedish museums and three Swedish collectors. Because of wars and ruination Ukraine suffered in the past centuries, many Cossack-era items have been lost forever, whereas part of them are still being preserved in Sweden’s archival funds.
This agreement on cooperation has been achieved by the National Museum of Ukrainian History and Ukrainian Museum in New York. The Day speaks about this with the author of the concept and supervisor of the exhibit Ukraine–Sweden: At the Crossroads of History Yurii SAVCHUK and the president of the Board of Trustees of the Ukrainian Museum in New York Jaroslaw LESHKO.
“When Yurii called me with a proposal to bring this exhibit to New York, the importance of the future event was immediately clear to me,” Jaroslaw LESHKO said. “It is crucial to bring these historical treasures of Ukraine to different generations of our emigres …. Perhaps, it will be difficult for you to understand our aspirations to gain and consolidate independent Ukraine. But that has been the sense of our lives! For example, in the 1940s and 1950s the most widely spread drinking toast was ‘May we celebrate the next Christmas Day/ Easter in our Fatherland!’ This exhibit will be very touching for some Ukrainian Americans.”
“Apparently, the choice of the date to launch the exhibit was not accidental,” Yurii SAVCHUK continued. “It comes between two anniversaries: Ivan Mazepa’s 300th birth anniversary and 300 years since declaration of Pylyp Orlyk’s Constitution, in early April 1710.”
Has the Swedish side agreed to provide any items?
Yu.S.: “Yes, the Swedish side has kindly agreed to lend some rare pieces — I had carried out month-long negotiations concerning this. Jaroslaw has also visited Sweden. Incidentally, he has managed to reach an agreement on exhibiting Bohdan Khmelnytsky’s flag at the New York exhibit (unfortunately, it has not been on display in Kyiv). This is a historical event, when the descendants of those who fought for the Ukrainian state — scholars, the clergy, politicians, and military men — will see the hetman regalia of its founder.
“Incidentally, besides our Cossack artifacts (we still call them ours, although they are being preserved in Swedish depositories), the Swedish side has agreed to also provide a unique bowl. After the Battle of Poltava it was buried under the ground on the battlefield by a priest. Soon after the battle the reverend father was taken prisoner and served a ten-year sentence in Siberia. Upon his return to Ukraine he went to the Poltava battlefield, found the bowl, and went on foot (!) to Sweden via Russia. Today this relic is being preserved in Stokholm’s Military Museum. As you can see, the New York exposition will have new items.”
Who has funded this project?
Ja.L.: “Donations are the main source of the Ukrainian Museum’s operation. Therefore, the US is raising money in order to bring the exhibit Ukraine–Sweden: At the Crossroads of History to New York. Besides, we receive financial support from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and express our gratitude to the minister for this. On returning home, I will appeal with even more enthusiasm to gentlemen who can donate money for our good cause. I am sure that the exhibit will be a sensation in the diaspora circles, among the NY residents, and the tourists.”
In 2008 and 2009 the Institute of Literature in Kyiv and the Lesia Ukrainka Museum at Volyn National University in Lutsk have received Lesia Ukrainka’s manuscripts and personal belongings of the Kosach family. This time you and your wife Alla have brought another precious relic — the collaret Olena Pchilka cut and embroidered for Lesia Ukrainka.
Ja.L.: “This collaret has been preserved in our museum for quite a long time — in the 1970s it was transferred to the museum by Lesia Ukrainka’s younger sister Isydora Kosach-Borysova. Once we received a letter from the Lesia Ukrainka Scientific Research Institute operating at the Volyn University with a request to transfer this collaret for exhibiting or as a present. We resolved to give this relic to be exhibited for many years — we want Ukrainian rare things to be on display in Ukraine. It is very pleasant for us to tie another knot between us and our native land.”
