Modern realities dating to the Neolithic era

The first international young potters festival was organized in Opishnia (Poltava oblast) by Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the specialized state art boarding school Art Collegium of Opishnia, Institute of Ceramology (a branch of the National Academy’s Institute for Folk Studies), and Opishnia’s National Ukrainian Pottery Museum Preserve.

From July 1 to July 12 all the events listed in the festival schedule — a roundtable on the problems of teaching the ABCs of pottery, a master class conducted by experts from the Baron Stieglitz Academy of Fine and Applied Arts, a contest for the “ Loudest Clay Whistle,” ethnic and folk art soirees featuring the pop group Krynychenka, a contest for the best sidewalk drawing, St. John the Baptist festivities, a blitz art project by the Moldovan delegation, and art projects designed by the delegations from Romania and Belarus — will take place in Opishnia, a small town in Poltava oblast, which is known as world’s “capital of pottery.” Pottery is said to have first emerged in this center of Ukrainian pottery before the Neolithic era. The indigenous population adopted a settled way of life, which fostered the development of agriculture and the craft of pottery. Today special restricted areas are maintained in the town and outlying areas to preserve the environment and potters’ skills. These include factories, such as Khudozhnii keramik and Keramik, the old pottery centers Ptukhivka, Yaremiivka, Yary, Honcharivka, and Yisipivka, as well as traditional clay quarries and old potters’ workshops. The building of the gubernia pottery workshop, founded in the late 19th century, was designed in the Art Moderne style by the noted Ukrainian architect Vasyl Krychevsky.

All the participants in the festival are competing in three nominations: ceramics, fine arts, and other types of decorative-applied art (wickerwork, weaving, needlework, tapestry). Each nomination is divided into three age groups: 10-14, 15-17, and 18-23. Each contestant must submit a creative project by July 10. The winners will be awarded monetary prizes and a vacation at a famous Crimean resort (Artek or Moloda Hvardiia). The prizes are provided by the Opishnia National Ukrainian Pottery Preserve, Ukraine’s National Union of Artists, the National Potters’ Union of Ukraine, and Viktor Ligachev, senior political counselor with the Russian Federation’s Embassy in Ukraine.

Most of the festival participants attended master classes led by such pottery gurus as Stepan Andrusiv, head of Lviv National Art Academy’s ceramics chair; Merited Workers of Folk Art and winners of numerous competitions Vasyl Omelianenko and Mykhailo Kytrysh; Mykola Poshyvailo, member of the National Folk Art Association of Ukraine; and Svitlana Pasichnyk, member of the National Union of Artists of Moldova. Evenings were spent exploring Opishnia’s cultural and historic sites. In a word, every event on the festival agenda turned into an enchanting spectacle for everyone.

IMPRESSIONS

Valentyna MALYSHEVSKA, 14, Sumy:

I am competing in the ceramics nomination. We are being helped by instructors in the workshops. We are fully supplied with materials. For me this festival is another rung up the ladder of creative accomplishment, because I’m planning to become a potter. Here I can assess my abilities and see other people’s work.

Liubov POSHYVAILO, 12, Opishnia:

I am taking part in this festival, in the fine arts nomination. At first I thought I would choose a different occupation, but I realized here that pottery is what I really want to do. This festival is very well organized. From what I’ve seen I’m most impressed by the master class conducted by Stepan Andrusiv.

Maryna YEREMENKO, 12, Komsomolsk (Poltava oblast):

I’m competing in the fine arts nomination. It is very interesting to communicate with other participants from various regions. There is a lot of positive energy at this festival, with professionals demonstrating their skills and sometimes sharing their professional secrets. I think the atmosphere here is best described by what a skilled potter told me: “A piece of clay can collapse, but then you pick it up and discover that it is a masterpiece.”