April, 10 ‘Pysanka’s Shining’ workshop was launched in ZNU for the 3rd time and would last for 3 days. Everyone was invited to join in with one's own Easter egg to paint and a good mood
The event took place for the first time three years ago, initiated by Zaporizhzhya Affiliate of “Ukrainian Women’s Union” Ukrainian Public Organisation. According to the Department of Ukrainian Studies head Olga Stadnichenko, every year the workshop in Easter eggs painting gathers more and more attendees among professors and students, as well as the city arts associations' representatives. Mrs. Stadnichenko expressed her gratitude to ZNU administration and Ukrainian Women’s Union for their assistance in organising the workshop.
The event has been attended by vice rector for research Victor Gryshchak, assistant rector Natalia Vorono
va, chief accountant Vasyl Tymoshyk, professors, students and everyone willing. American Fulbright Exchange Program Professor Perry Bush, currently lecturing at the Faculty of History has got interested in extraordinary workshop. Zaporizhzhya singer and composer Anatoliy Serdiuk has also come the event, having presented his new song on ‘Vyshyvanka’ (Embroidered shirt) and filling the air with festivity.
The workshop began with the lecture of the Department of Ukrainian Studies lecturer Olena Yatsenko and folk craftsman, founder of pysanka painting revival in Zaporizhzhya region Galyna Pavliv who has shed the light on key symbols traditionally appearing on Easter eggs and concealed meaning of the colours.
Тhe craftsman was speaking of the so called ‘Katerynoslav Pysanka’, distinctive of Zaporizhzhya region up to early 20s of the 20th century, with artels, cooperatives of workmen making pysankas. Unfortu
nately, today hardly a model of Katerynoslav Pysanka is preserved, whereas the Hermitage collection, St. Petersburg, Russia, numbers 12 Katerynoslav pysankas.
At the workshop beginners could avail of advice and assistance from experienced craftsmen, though the attendees were working on equal terms fully engaged in creating their own and unique pysankas
American Professor Perry Bush was greatly impressed by everything he saw and heard of there. Once the workshop has come to the end, Professor shared in his interview to the local MTM TV Channel: “It is the first time that I was part of Easter eggs painting process which is a genuine art. Indeed, it is an honour for me to be here. What is special to me is the fact that when the foreigner perceives an amazingly beautiful pattern only, the Ukrainian decodes the subtle message. In America we also paint eggs for Easter, though less refined as in Ukraine and they are generally made for children. We hide eggs in the grass and the children have to look for the gifts. Besides, in America the Easter is the holiday of chocolate which is bought in abundance to please the shop owners. I really enjoyed Ukrainian tradition of giving pysankas on Easter and I guess I will manage taking such extraordinary souvenir back home”.
Tamila Tarasenko
