Sunday 26 February 2023

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The event will take place at Chelsea Theatre on the 26th of February 2023 from 1pm to 7pm.

The event is free of charge, but booking is highly recommended. You can reserve a general admission ticket through our Eventbrite page:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/celebrating-ukrainian-creativity-tickets-531932363017

If you wish to attend a workshop or a masterclass, please email contact@werest.art

The Chelsea Theatre:

7 World's End Place, King's Road London SW1O 0DR 

Exhibition: 

Maria Prymachenko: Embroiderers' stories by Nisia Jedrychowska

Food:

The restaurant will be open from 1pm to 3pm

Ukraininan Food Masterclass at 3pm and at 4pm (limited availability, booking required)

Live Music:   

From 1pm till 7pm

3pm Embroidery workshop (limited availability, booking required)

3pm Flower Crowns workshop (kids activity - no booking required)

VR Experience:

The Diffusion Communication project by Khrystyna Khmil is 1 to 1 experience (no booking required).

Exhibition:

 "Through the leaves to the roots" brings together a group of artists who work in dialogue around childhood memories.  Artists: Khrystyna Khmil, Lada Verbina,  Anastasiia Protsenko, Tamara Turliun.  

2pm Documentary: Kyiv Unbroken by Phil Strongman (limited availability, booking required)

3:30pm Q&A with Phil Strongman

4pm Dance perfomance with Anastasiia Artiushok

Exhibition: 

Artworks from Ukrainian war veterans 

Live Music: 

From 4:30pm till 7pm

A stunning tapestry composed of 100 panels based on paintings by the renowned Ukrainian artist Maria Primachenko, hand-embroidered by displaced Ukrainian women under the artistic direction of London-based Polish designer, Nisia Jedrychowska.

The ambitious 4 metre long tapestry is a beautiful example of the power of individual efforts united by a common goal - the project took nine months to complete and involved over 150 people (75 embroiderers, a similar number of sponsors and a handful of helpers) across seven countries.

It is impossible not to smile when looking at these wildly vibrant images featuring fantastic beasts and fairy-tale countryside scenes. Maria Prymachenko believed that the purpose of her art  was to bring joy to people and this tapestry undoubtedly achieves that. However, Nisia’s project is more than a visually exceptional collection of pretty little pictures - it is also emotionally impactful, as it presents the emotional stories of the embroiderers' lived experience alongside the work they created. These are the stories of pain, loss, sadness, but also hope, unity and inspiration. 

The embroideries were crafted by women who had recently lived through the trauma of leaving their homes under Russian attacks, being separated from their loved ones and sometimes barely surviving. They often worked on their embroideries in very challenging circumstances in temporary accommodation. Some of them found real solace and salvation in this work and produced true masterpieces that leave everyone in awe of their talent and dedication. 

This work is a powerful testament to the resilience and strength of the human spirit, or, as Maria Prymachenko would say, a sign of the ultimate triumph of good over evil.

Nisia Jedrychowska will run an embroidery workshop at 3pm. The workshop is free of charge but places are limited. 

Bandura Trio Zhayvir (Lark) was formed by Nataliya and Taras Stepanyak, and Khrystyna Skrypka in 1991, in the town of Ivano-Frankivsk in their native Ukraine, as a family trio. Over the years they successfully performed and toured throughout Ukraine and abroad. The trio have been passionate about promoting the sound of the Ukrainian instrument BANDURA through their performances worldwide.

Bandura Musical Instrument

The bandura is the instrument that best embodies the voice and soul of Ukraine, and is considered by many to be the national instrument of Ukraine. From a musical perspective, the bandura unifies acoustic principles of both the lute and the harp. This produces a sound that is emphatic and gentle, resembling that of a harpsichord, but with a wide range of dynamics and tonal control.

The bandura’s development closely reflects the history of the Ukrainian nation, dating back hundreds of centuries. Historically, the bandura was developed from kobza and played by blind minstrels who travelled from village to village singing epic ballads and historical songs, the singers were known as kobzars. It has 32-55 strings. Over centuries, the bandura has remained remarkably stable for the past 300 years both in its appearance and sound. 

London based Ukrainian musicians are showcasing the best of the Ukrainian rich musical culture and tradition.

Bandura Trio Zhayvir (Lark)

Quartet VIVO

Anna Demianchuk (piano)

Vasyl Grynkiv (violin)

Marian Styslavskiy (vocal)

Yaroslav Shpyrka (vocal, accordion)
Leonid Hrychany (vocal)

Luke Stepanyak (violin)