In a word, it’s synergy

Quite recently, The Day has presented the implementation of several ideas dedicated to the paper’s 15th anniversary, in particular, a series of stamps “The Day: Great Names” and a new arrival from the Ukraina Incognita Library, The Power of the Soft Sign. On October 21 at the Ukrainian Home we also presented a new (third in the newspaper’s publishing history) photo almanac The Living History as part of the “Den 2011” photo exhibit. The almanac includes the best pictures published in The Day over the recent years. But there is something else. We wanted a special anniversary present for our splendid authors and most devoted readers. This is how the idea of The Day’s “club kerchief” was first conceived and then beautifully put into action.

So this is the recipe: idea by The Day’s editor-in-chief Larysa Ivshyna, a unique print by Pavlo Makov, and craftsmanship by Lilia Pustovit.

“Sometimes, when asked what I do, I answer that I’m an architect of space. Maybe it would be too bold to think that you can model the future, but I believe it’s possible, in particular, when you offer new esthetics,” said The Day’s editor-in-chief as she shared about the idea of the “club kerchief.” “Ukraine was badly traumatized in the last century. Today, just like yesterday, our society needs restoration and the breeding of the new quality from the best specimens available in Ukraine.

“I have never shared the opinion that Ukraine has no elite. That this elite is not a political one is an important distinction. So far we have but scattered islets of political maturity. But at a certain moment I was so fed up with all this talk about the absence of the elite that we decided to dedicate Friday’s front page (plus a double-page spread material) to the best men and women in various walks of life.

“It turned out that there are a lot of them. One of The Day’s front-page heroes was Lilia Pustovit (issue No. 44 of March 7, 2002). Even back then, she boldly launched Ukrainian ethnicity into global orbits. I remember one of her first powerful shows at the Lavra. Just think: that was the first time that Ukrainian ethnicity had made its first appearance in Kyiv, which was not yet awakened for Ukrainian life back then.

“I have always urged our colleagues to pay attention to the things worth it – instead of only chasing politicians, and wondering then why Ukraine can’t make it out of the bog. We pulled a brick from the bottom of the wall, to put it figuratively. In our system of values, it is not politicians that occupy the top ranks of hierarchy. Instead, it is Lilia with her boldness, and Pavlo Makov with his esthetics and sophistication. And this is Ukraine. It is so rich, beautiful, and juicy, that sometimes we can afford to be extremely esthetical.

“One has to be able to cut off what is unnecessary. That is why, pondering over our present to our experts, readers, and authors, we were sure that it had to be something beautiful and visible and, moreover, it should be marked with the seal of synergy, because we make this newspaper together. Had we not enjoyed the trust and help, we would have probably failed in a lot of projects we take pride in today.

“This is how I got the idea of uniting brands to create a ‘club kerchief’: our best masters, Makov and Pustovit, for The Day’s 15th birthday anniversary.

“Of course, we’re also interested in uniting our efforts in other directions. And we are already bringing together other brilliant personalities around our newspaper’s other projects: The Day’s photo exhibit, and the Ukraina Incognita Library. But the kerchief is a special case. Everyone who contributes to The Day will now be able to recognize their ‘comrades’ not by intelligent looks alone, but also by the kerchief. Men can wear it in their breast pockets, while ladies can tie the kerchief around the neck, or in some other fanciful way. There is no compulsion to that. The main thing is the feeling of community, which is a precious asset in the world of today.

“Without the feeling of community self-organization and synergy are impossible. And they are just what Ukrainians lack so badly after the decades of destruction, when we were broken down and trained to shun cooperation.”

“I have great respect for Den/The Day, and as far as Lilia Pustovit goes, we just be of one blood, she and me. I love talking to her. And it was exactly this feeling of an open heart and respect that I wanted to put in this artistic cooperation,” told graphic artist Pavlo MAKOV. “Of course, it is very important to unite. But unification is only possible when there are, so to speak, natural and organic causes, when people feel that they share common values. I don’t know how politicians do that, but this is how it happens with artists. There can be no successful artistic union based on bare pragmatism alone.”

“I think a lot of Pavlo Makov and his art, and I hold The Day high in regard, too. Unfortunately, few periodicals give their readers a chance to learn something good of their country, to re-discover it, in fact. Besides, The Day inspires thinking and offers new ideas, just as Makov’s art,” said Lilia PUSTOVIT as she explained why this creative cooperation with Makov and The Day was so important. “It has become a very powerful tendency over the recent years, to unite trends in art. If theater used to be purely theater, and music used to be purely music, now they unite, they mix in the light and acting and state of the art technologies, and thus you get a performance. That is why I think the form doesn’t matter. What actually matters is not just combining various trends of social activity, but the hub that they spin around. The main thing is to unite around global, everlasting values. When a lot of different people with their talents and skills unite around a matter of spirituality and promote the development of culture, it is always important. Moreover, the significance of each trend involved rockets skywards, each of them complements another, and together they become more powerful.”

The Day’s “club kerchief” is certainly more than just a fashion action.

“Makov & Poustovit for The Day-15 kerchief emphasizes the style of our philosophic platform,” said Ivshyna. “My mom is a proud owner of kerchief No. 001, while other ‘membership cards,’ kerchiefs No. 1, No. 2, and No.3 were presented to the intellectual trio: Oxana Pachliowska, Lina Kostenko, and their daughter and granddaughter, Yaroslava Francesca. This is our manifestation of love, respect, and gratitude to the talented authors who empower and motivate us.”

Other owners of Makov & POUSTOVIT for The Day-15 kerchiefs are Yurii Shcherbak, Viacheslav Yutkin, and several journalists from The Day.

“I’ve got three gifts! For my mother Lina, my daughter Yaroslava Francesca as The Day’s potential author (she’s already got a few ideas and almost ready materials), and of course, for myself. It was so unexpected and so touching, and so very symbolic,” remarked Oxana PACHLIOWSKA. “Uniting brands is a very productive method in modern culture. The more independent and original are the participants, the more successful are such unions. The stronger an individual is, the more they can respect another individual and value the experience they can gain working together. This is also a matter of solidarity, a key notion for Ukrainian history. The Polish Solidarnosc won because it had united the most variegated individuals, those who were driven by the idea of rescuing their country and of working for its good. I’m sure that if every talent in art, science, or other spheres were able to get enough space for them, such as studios, galleries, exhibits, media support, etc., then Ukrainian culture would become a great phenomenon on pan-European scale. The cooperation of various creative forces inspires self-confidence stemming from united effort. Therefore this elegant kerchief, with a print of shadowed prickly roses surrounded by a whirl of text snippets, is a beautiful metaphor for an exquisite combination of brands, yes that’s true, – but also, first and foremost, a combination of ideas, tastes, styles, innovations, and concepts. Respect to the authors!”