Ukrainian Artists Society of Australia

Background

Arriving in Australia as migrants after post-World War II Europe, Ukrainian amateur and professional artists contributed to the culture and development of the Ukrainian Australian community, and together with other artists in the arts fields of opera and ballet, have made a significant contribution to the development of the country. They participated in Ukrainian community cultural organisations like Plast, and SUM, but also decorated stages for concerts and theatres, decorated church interiors, designed concert programs, flyers, banners, posters, and logos for various Ukrainian organisations. Some, like Michael Kmit and Leonid Denysenko, were successful as full-time artists.

The first major wave of Ukrainian immigrants to Australia began after World War II, arriving in Australia in 1948. Building a Ukrainian community within a new country was a goal for many ethnic Ukrainians who had been displaced by the war, and who refused to return to a homeland controlled by a repressive Soviet communist regime. The newly formed communities brought together professional and amateur actors, musicians, singers, and visual artists to Australia. Many of them, like Michael Kmit, completed art studies in higher centres of learning in Ukraine or Poland, and some had worked professionally before arriving in Australia. However, in their new chosen homeland they were expected to complete a 2-year work contract in employment chosen by the Australian Government. Many jobs for the immigrant males were physically difficult and were located away from major population centres in isolated villages and farms, and in some cases were demeaning by ignoring the person's profession and skills. In the early years, the women in the camps lived separately from the men; working in hospitals or in private homes as domestic workers.

Under such conditions, art and painting took on a secondary role, however after the fulfilment of these 2-year contracts the Ukrainian diaspora in Australia immediately began to organize social and cultural life. During the initial temporary camp life period, Ukrainians started to stage theatrical plays, concerts and displays of their craft work. By 1950 Denysenko was already being featured in The Australian Women's Weekly as a migrant artist from Ukraine.

The Ukrainian artists, along with others active in the Ukrainian amateur theatre, opera, and choirs, helped in the difficult task of ‘community building’ in the early years of Ukrainian settlement in Australia. Within a year or two, Ukrainians had formed theatrical societies and choirs in various locations. The theatre became the forum for bringing together diverse artistic talents. Artists like Volodymyr Savchak, Vasyl Tsybulsky, Peter Kravchenko, Borys Spesyvy, Victor Burak, Stefan Chwyla, Yurij Holobrodskyj, Еvhenia Kozalkowska decorated sets and scenery for theatrical productions and concerts that became an important part of Ukrainian cultural and social life. Some artists, also participated as actors, while others were also involved in Ukrainian choirs, youth groups, music ensembles and veteran groups.

While most artists were employed in non-artistic related industries, some like Leonid Denysenko found work in Australia in the field of art, either teaching drawing in public and private schools, or in private graphic art firms. Michael Kmit, worked as a porter and cleaner of rail carriages in Sydney while he established himself as "one of Australia's best artists".

History

Although active as individuals, it was only in 1967 that a formal visual artists group was formed, largely through the initiative of Stefan Misko from Canberra. Misko travelled to the various states in Australia, seeking Ukrainian artists and forming them into a collective. This group became the Ukrainian Artists Society of Australia (in Ukrainian by the acronym: СУОМА). Stefan Misko was the founder and president of this organisation, Peter Kravchenko (Sydney) became its secretary, and Orion Wenhrynovych (Melbourne) and Aleksander Chubatyj (Sydney) each served as treasurers.

The Society's first exhibition was held on 25–31 August 1967 at the Gallery, Canberra Theatre Centre as part of the Ukrainian National Festival "A Tribute to Australia", which was opened by the Australian Minister for Immigration Billy Snedden. Nineteen Ukrainian-Australian artists from around Australia took part in this first national exhibition.

The golden years

The ‘golden years’ of SUOMA (NSW), when it was the most active, lasted for about 10 years. After 3 months of formation in 1967 it had already staged its first exhibition, and thereafter it had exhibitions once a year until 1976. As well, the Society participated in national exhibitions of SUOMA which were held in 1968, 1971, 1976, as well as participating in the Ukrainian Festival in Canberra in both 1967 and 1972.

Achievements

A notable achievement was the winning entry in 1958 by Leonid Denysenko of a design for a stamp on the theme of immigration in an Australian Government competition. In 1968 Leonid and his brother Jurij, won a design competition for an International Memorial-fountain to the immigrants who settled in Fairfield, a local government area on the outskirts of Sydney. This monument was erected in the park at the Crescent, Fairfield in 1968.

The ceramic artist Irena Madei also entered the commercial mainstream with her ceramic works. Her works have been used as gifts from the Ukrainian community to officials and Olympians on ceremonial occasions.

The most successful of all Australian-Ukrainian artists was Michael Kmit. In 1951, he held his first solo show in Australia at the Macquarie Galleries and received a commendation for his entry in the competition for the new Blake Prize for Religious Art. A year later he took second place in the Blake competition and in 1953 won the prize itself with The Evangelist John Mark.

During the 1950s Kmit's works were exhibited alongside fellow artists from the Society of Artists and the ‘Merioola Group’.

There followed a series of awards: the Perth Prize (1954), the Critics' Prize for Contemporary Art (1955), the Darcy Morris Memorial Prize (1956) and the Sulman Prize (1957). Kmit's abstract works were acknowledged as making a significant contribution to the Australian abstract movement by Australian art historians. The Australian artists Paul Haefliger wrote:

Kmit's paintings were bought by national galleries as part of their collections.

Revival

Valentin Shkolny came to Australia in 1993 to work privately as a professional photographer, and in 2002 a pictorial book of his black and white photographs titled "Juxtapositions: an Intimate Portrait of Sydney" was published. His photographs are in the collection of the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, and he was a finalist in the 2004 Australian Photographic Portrait Prize competition. Lialia and Valentin Varetsa were able to receive commissions for illustrating children's books. Other newly arrived artists Svitlana Soldatova has had solo exhibition in private galleries while Natalia Balo, has won local awards, and has given drawing lessons at a regional arts network.

The Society's cultural ties with artists in Ukraine resulted in a number of visits to Australia, some while Ukraine was still under Soviet control. In 1989 artist Ivan Marchuk was invited to Australia, where he gained some success. In 1992 artist-sculptor Anatoly Valiyev visited Australia in 1992 and presenting the Ukrainian community in Australia with a bronze monument to Taras Shevchenko, which was erected in Canberra.

In 1999 the Society held an exhibition in Lidcombe (79 paintings), and another one in 2000 at the Parramatta Heritage Centre gallery titled "Ukrainian Poem".

A notable event was the posthumous commemorative exhibition of Stefan Chwyla's paintings brought to Kiev by fellow artist Peter Kravchenko and displayed at the Museum of Cultural Heritage in 2007.

On 12 April 2009 the Society celebrated its 40th anniversary with a retrospective and current artists exhibition which was launched by the NSW Minister for Local Government Barbara Perry.

Chapters

The Victorian chapter of SUOMA, based in Melbourne, was headed by Vasyl Czybulsky, and after his death Lyudmyla Hrytsenko.

The first annual convention of SUOMA was held in Melbourne in April 1971 as part of the Second Convention of Ukrainians in Australia. This exhibition displayed works by 19 artists, of whom 8 were from Victoria. The most active and the longest-lasting of the various SUOMA groups was the New South Wales chapter. The first members of SUOMA (NSW) were: Michael Sadowskyj (President), Peter Kravchenko (Secretary), Stefan Misko (President of the national SUOMA), Michael Kmit, Leonid Denysenko, Eugenia Koziolkowskyj, Sofia Sywenkyj, Aleksander Chubaty.

During the most active period of the group – the 1960s to 1970s, the role of President was performed by: Michael Sadowskyj, Aleksander Chubaty, Stefan Chwyla, Theodor Nalukowyj and now Paul Kravchenko. The role of Secretary from 1967 till his death was performed by Peter Kravchenko.