The oeuvre of Alla Horska (1929-70), her public activism and bright personality left a noticeable imprint on the history of Ukrainian culture. She was in the epicenter of events during a short-lived thaw in the 1960s, which ended with mass-scale arrests and Brezhnev’s notorious “prosperous socialism.” The mistress was called “heart and soul of the Sixtiers.” Great expectations and heavy losses, an irresistible impulse to fight despite the pressure of any circumstances – all this was reflected in the artist’s graphic and, later, monumental works.
The exposition includes over 30 artworks. Among them are portraits of the outstanding figures of Ukrainian culture Taras Shevchenko, Anatolii Petrytsky, and Borys Antonenko-Davydovych; works dedicated to Horska’s contemporaries Vasyl Stus, Ivan Svitlychny, Ivan Drach, and Vasyl Symonenko; sketches for the stage design of the productions A Knife in the Sun, Truth and Falsehood, This Way Huska Died; a sketch of the cover of Lina Kostenko’s collection of poetry Starry Integral. This is the first time works done in the technique of wooden mosaic in the mid-to-late 1960s are being displayed.
The exhibit will be accompanied by a number of events dedicated to Alla Horska, including presentation of the artist’s first album.
The exposition will remain open until October 1.
