NYC Curator Impressed with Edmonton’s Ukrainian Heritage Collections

During a week-long visit to Edmonton, Lubow Wolynetz, Curator of the Ukrainian Museum in New York City, spent a lot of time meeting and speaking with residents.  With many smaller Ukrainian museums in the area, there was a great demand on her time and advice.

Invited to Edmonton by the Kule Centre for Ukrainian and Canadian Folklore, Ms. Wolynetz came to present two public lectures. Her first lecture at the Royal Alberta Museum on February 27 was on the growth of the Ukrainian Museum in NYC. She spoke of its development from a cramped space and community run organization to its present day, state of the art facility, professionally run, and widely supported.   With displays that focus on folk culture from their collection of over 8000 items, to presentations of fine art by renowned Ukrainian artists such as Alexander Archipenko and Jacques Hinzdovsky, the Museum is showing Ukrainian culture at its best. Throughout her lecture she emphasized the importance of professionalism in both the administration and design of exhibits.  “Presenting a display that both old and young can take pride in is essential to the success of the museum.” says Wolynetz.  “The youth of today are very sophisticated, they need to be exposed to their history in a progressive way that allows them interaction and understanding.”  As part of their programming, the Ukrainian Museum hosts a wide number of community educational sessions.  People from all cultures come to the Museum to learn about Ukrainian culture and to begin their individual, life – long connection with it.

In Wolynetz’s second lecture, at the University of Alberta on March 1, she spoke about the importance of Ukrainians’ strong ties to their folk culture.  “As a nation-less and nameless group of people for so many years, due to wars and occupations, it was essential that, to hold on to their “Ukrainian-ness”, they held on to their traditions.  These traditions have allowed them to maintain their ethnic identity, an identity that is still strong today as you can easily see from the Edmonton community.” Wolynetz said.  She also spoke of the importance of folk art in its demonstration of patriotism.  In a time when Ukrainians were not allowed to express their ethnic pride verbally, they would use the traditional colours of blue and yellow, and the Ukrainian national emblem, the Tryzub (trident), in their embroidery of ritual items.  Today, Ukrainians worldwide still proudly use these symbols of “Ukrainian-ness.”  Summing up her presentation Wolynetz spoke of the importance of folk culture in general.  “In order to understand the direction we are heading we must be able to see clearly where we as a people are going.  We learn from our past; we build on our history. To see far into the future we must stand on the shoulders of something that is bigger than ourselves.  Folk culture is the giant upon whose shoulders we stand.”

Wolynetz’s had the opportunity to visit Edmonton’s various Ukrainian museums and historical sites as well as the groups who run them.  She was very impressed.  In fact, she is looking forward to coming back in the near future with some of her associates from the Ukrainian Museum. “There are a lot of lessons that New York can learn from Edmonton,” she said.  “Edmonton is definitely on par with New York, if not farther ahead.  Amazing resources, great facilities and a community that supports it so strongly; Edmonton is truly blessed.” She encourages the Edmonton groups to work together to build something amazing. “Edmonton’s museums have such great possibility for growth and development ... It is important that the groups here unite and build, and do not allow ego to get in the way.”

Reflecting on Lubow Wolynetz’s visit to Edmonton, Kule Centre Director, Andriy Nahachewsky said “She has been a great resource for our community, and future collaboration with her and the NY museum is not only a must, but also a great pleasure.”

Prepared by the Kule Centre for Ukrainian and Canadian Folklore, University of Alberta, Edmonton