Among the many awful news headlines this week was the damage done to the Ivankiv Museum, whose site (in Ukrainian) still lists its exhibition of works by the 20th-century artist Marii︠a︡ Prymachenko as its proudest achievement.  The paintings of Prymachenko, a self-trained artist in the naïve style, floored even Pablo Picasso.

Initial reports have said that 25 works by Prymachenko were destroyed in the attack, and the Wednesday #StandWithUkraine gathering in Cambridge against the war saw students and staff holding copies of her paintings and talking about the importance of her art.

The UL has only one catalogue dedicated solely to Prymachenko’s work:
Marii︠a︡ Pryĭmachenko : alʹbom (note that there are two ways of spelling the artist’s name in Ukrainian).  This 131-page book was published in 1994 but only recently added to the UL’s collections; it came as a kind donation from a donor who has also provided other art-related donations such as this catalogue of works by the book illustrator Volodymyr I︠U︡rchyshyn.  We will certainly look out for other Prymachenko books to buy, whether second-hand or new editions.  For the moment, we are of course not able to buy new books from Ukraine but desperately hope that peace and normal life might return for our local book suppliers as well as all their fellow Ukrainians as quickly as possible.

The Prymachenko catalogue has illustrations in a mixture of black and white and colour.  Sadly it doesn’t feature some of her most famous works painted to promote peace, but you can see one at the top of this blog post, from this Wikiart page.

Many librarians, archivists, and non-professionals have been pulling together to find ways of helping our Ukrainian counterparts to try to protect collections and or at least capture and preserve information about them.  You can find a list here (which can be added to by request via the comment function).

The Cambridge University Ukrainian Society has been doing an extraordinary job of leading daily demonstrations in the city to protest against the war in Ukraine and show support for Ukrainians in Ukraine and those who are now refugees – including the gathering at which Mariia Prymachenko’s art was displayed and discussed.  Tomorrow afternoon, they will lead a march of solidarity.  Details from CUUS are below.  Do wrap up warmly.

Date of event: Saturday, March 5, 2022.

Time and place:

• ASSEMBLY START TIME: 14:00 for 14:30 start.
• GATHERING POINT: Sidgwick Avenue [Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages & Linguistics].
• ROUTE: Sidgwick Avenue ‒> Silver St ‒> Trumpington St ‒> King’s Parade ‒> Trinity St ‒> St John’s St ‒> Bridge St ‒> Magdalene St ‒> Castle St
• PROCESSION END TIME: 16:00-16:30.

Mel Bach