#The Pysanka a Symbol of Hope

[dontforgetukraine]

Sofika Zielyk, a ethnographer and folk artist, is a first-generation American who has maintained her roots to Ukrainian culture. She created The Pysanka: A Symbol of Hope project as a "reminder of resilience, cultural preservation, and the power of art to uplift in times of hardship."

“There's a legend that says as long as people are creating these eggs, the world will continue to exist. And I thought this will be my answer to the aggressor, that we will continue to exist,” Zielyk said.

With this project, Zielyk has used social media to invite and encourage anyone to create their own Pysanky using time-honored patterns and methods. These handmade pieces were then gathered at the Ukrainian Institute of America to form a unified art exhibit and installation that is ever changing as more eggs arrive.

The Pysanka originally symbolized the rebirth of nature after a long winter, with the yolk representing the sun. Through this art installation, the pysanka has been adopted as a powerful emblem of defiance against Russian aggression as well as the rebirth of Ukraine after war.

When asked if this installation will ensure Ukraine's continued existence, Zielyk responded:

"This installation of the pysanky tradition is a metaphor for the Ukrainian people themselves. They and the tradition have gone through wars, serfdom, famines, artificial famines, occupation by other countries, and yet have flourished in spite of all this. Ultimately, it shows the aggressor that we were here in the past, we are here now, and we will continue to be here."

Eventually, all the pysanky donated to the installation will travel to different areas of Ukraine affected by war.

They will be incorporated into the same ancient rituals that our ancestors performed thousands of years ago: put in beehives, buried in the ground, placed on graves of children murdered during the war.  But this time, the rituals will be performed not with the intent of hastening the return of the sun god after winter, but for the rebirth of a nation from the ashes of war.

You can send your empty, traditionally decorated pysanky to:

C/O The Ukrainian Institute of America 2 East 79th Street New York, NY 10075 USA

For more information about the project and the history of pysanky, please visit the articles below.

From Tradition to Resistance: Ukrainian Pysanky as Symbols of National Survival

The Pysanka: A Symbol of Hope

[lapenpalclub]

From Present & Correct, Notecards for Ukraine:

Pysanka, Ukrainian decorated eggs, are a Spring time tradition - symbolic of hope, healing & life.

All proceeds from this set of 6 notecards (2 of each design) will go to Voices Of Children, a charity working to support Ukrainian children suffering from the trauma of war.

Each Riso printed card measures 148x105mm, and comes with a grey envelope. Blank inside. On the front, in Ukrainian, it reads 'Peace and Hope'.