Logo for Shevchenko’s 200th anniversary is chosen
A work by Oleh Shupliak to become the symbol of celebrations
The Ministry of Culture decided not to award the first price of 30,000 hryvnias to the winner of the logo contest dedicated to Taras Shevchenko’s 200th birthday anniversary. A total of 103 applicants participated in the contest; 208 works were submitted.
“Democratic contest rules allowed to accept multiple logo sketches from one author. The main criteria for selection were conciseness and association with Shevchenko and the anniversary date. The jury decided not to award the first prize, but announce the holder of the second prize to be the winner,” said the culture minister Leonid NOVOKHATKO at a press conference.
The second place and 20,000 hryvnias were awarded to Oleh Shupliak, teacher at a children’s art school in Berezhany (Ternopil oblast). And the third prize and 15,000 hryvnias were awarded to Vitalii Mitchenko, teacher at the graphic arts department at the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture of Ukraine.
Shupliak’s logo is a stylized self-portrait of the young poet with Shevchenko’s signature (in dark blue) and the date of 200 years (in yellow). Novokhatko noted that this logo would become the national and international symbol of Shevchenko’s anniversary and will be used for booklets, catalogs, interior decoration of places where the celebrations would be taking place, on television, in thematic programs, films, and announcements.
“It is a great honor for me, not only as for an artist, but as for Ukrainian, to win this prestigious contest,” told SHUPLIAK to The Day. “Shevchenko has always inspired me as a genius artist, poet, and Ukrainian who is already a sacred symbol of our nation. The notions ‘Shevchenko’ and ‘Ukraine’ will always be inseparable for every Ukrainian. I have resorted to the great Kobzar’s image many times…”
The anniversary logo made by you is just that case when it is said that all great things are simple.
“A logo must be concise. I have created a lot of versions because I approached the contest responsibly. However, by the way, I have never participated in contests before. I have polished something every day. It was not easy because you are always reluctant to throw away something you have been working on, but there are things that should be sacrificed. The jury chose my logo as the most logo-like, as they say, as the one that meets the requirements.”
What do such contests give an artist?
“In addition to the cash prize, which is nice as it is, winning this prestigious contest is great honor for me as an artist and a Ukrainian. And also, an honor for my family and my countrymen.”
Your favorite art techniques are the so-called mind games, optical illusions and puzzles. However, along with surrealistic works, you have traditional paintings and graphic. Still, it seems that surrealism played the largest role in your establishment as an artist, because Oleh Shupliak is called the “modern Ukrainian master of illusions” for a reason.
“I work in different areas and I can say that this series was not even the main part of my work, but it turned out the most popular one. This is my hallmark now. First of all, an artist must be original, so he can be recognized by his works.”
Recently, you have had a successful joint exhibition “Metamorphoses” with Vadym Dolynsky at the Saint Petersburg gallery “On Nevsky.” Your works were also exhibited in New York, Nottingham, and other cities. So, can we say that you as an artist are in demand abroad?
“Yes, but I received the most pleasure when my solo exhibition took place at the Taras Shevchenko National Museum in Kyiv last year. This is one of my most important exhibitions, and I am more proud of it than I am of those in New York and Paris. I am a Ukrainian artist and what Ukrainians think is the most important to me.”
