Past Event: Wild Colors, True Stories: Ukrainian Naïve Art & Memory

Organized by Ukraine House at Yale and the Ukrainian Program at the Slavic Department, and the European Studies Council, this special event brings together art, history, and technology to explore how Ukrainian artists and scholars are using creativity to preserve cultural identity in the face of war.

Event Highlights:

Hands-On Painting Workshop with Yuliia Sytnyk

Under Yuliia’s guidance, participants will create their own artwork, connecting with Ukrainian culture through creativity.

Virtual Reality Tour of Polina Rayko’s House-Museum

Step inside the vibrant, hand-painted world of Polina Rayko, a self-taught Ukrainian artist whose home became her life’s masterpiece. Using VR headsets, guests will experience the breathtaking folk murals of this one-of-a-kind house-museum, a testament to resilience and artistic expression in the midst of hardship.

Conversation on The Role of Art in War & Memory, featuring Nataliia Bondarenko (UNC Chapel Hill) and Yuliia Sytnyk (Ukrainian artist and cultural organizer)

Our guests will discuss how art helps reclaim marginalized narratives and amplify overlooked voices in times of conflict. Yuliia Sytnyk, an artist who fled the war after surviving occupation in Kherson, will share her personal journey and the ways in which Ukrainian artists continue to create, despite the destruction of their homeland.

Why This Event Matters

At a time when Ukraine is defending not just its borders but its cultural heritage, this event sheds light on the power of art as both a historical record and a tool for healing. Art sustains memory, provides therapy, and offers resistance against erasure. Join us in celebrating Ukrainian creativity and resilience.

This event is free and open to the public. All materials provided.