Amazing world of filigree

Another exhibition held in the Art Hall of the Ivan Kotliarevsky Oblast Scientific Library was unusual in all aspects. First, at the beginning it was hard to understand the technique used in making the numerous panels. Secondly, no one could believe that the exhibition was brought from some remote village. Thirdly, it was all made thanks to the effort of a thin, modest young girl, who blushed from microphones and TV cameras focused on her – Iryna MOTYLEVYCH.

Motylevych told The Day’s journalist: “A little over a year ago in search of a job I went to nearly all educational institutions of the city. There was no job for me in Poltava. The last straw was my visit to the City House of Children’s and Youth Art. There I was told right in the face: ‘We don’t need specialists like you!’ I graduated from Kharkiv Art College and Poltava Pedagogical University and practically had to stay on the street without any job. Then I went to the village of Chutove – the smallest raion center in Poltava oblast. This time I got lucky. The village of Artemivka is not the smallest and not the most remote in the raion. Today we brought to Poltava an exhibition of works made by our students, whom I teach art.” To the words: “Congratulations on the first exhibition!” Motylevych answered emotionally: “Oh, in fact, we’ve already participated in several international exhibitions and have won two all-Ukrainian competitions. Our students present their work on par with famous artists from Opishnia, students of Raisa Kyrychenko Small Academy of Arts. Today children from villages are in no way inferior in skill to children from Poltava or Kyiv. That’s because talented young people study in our school. We don’t tell anyone that we don’t need what they do.” Motylevych also spoke about the technique used to make the art works presented at the exhibition: “The old technique of working with paper called filigree today is more known as ‘quilling.’ This technique is also called sometimes paper twisting. For many centuries paper filigree went through periods of its recognition as art to complete abandonment. In the 15th-16th centuries quilling was considered to be art, and in the 19th century – ladies’ entertainment. For the most part of the 20th century it was forgotten. And only in the end of the past century quilling again began to turn into art. It’s a painstaking activity and requires immense patience.” We asked the young artist whether she already received any job offers in Poltava. “Yes, I have already received a few. But now it’s my call and I will never leave my students. Even if they promise mountains of gold!”

Member of Ukraine’s National Union of Journalists Lidia Cherpakova noted: “Please note that this exhibition is presented by art department of Chutove Music School in the village of Artemivka. It is not an art school. It’s a music school, where music teachers work with students, and not an art school. It’s not even a studio. Iryna teaches quilling there. However, the children’s art group should have long been granted a status of an individual art studio.”