A celebration of Ukraine’s rich cultural heritage, drawing on over 100 of the country’s most important works of art and architectural monuments from prehistory to the present.

Showcasing more than one hundred objects and buildings — from Byzantine icons and wooden churches to gold-domed cathedrals, folk art, and avant-garde masterpieces — Treasures of Ukraine chronicles the rich arts and heritage of a country currently facing destruction and devastation. The significance of the pieces is explained by renowned artists, curators, and critics, revealing the nation’s complex history and its impact on the present. From the development of ancient cultures like Trypillia and Scythia to early states such as Kyivan Rus and the Cossack Hetmanate, to the dawn of Modernism and the striking contemporary paintings and political artworks being produced today, Treasures of Ukraine reminds us that art and monuments represent powerful sources of collective memory and identity.

All proceeds will be donated to PEN Ukraine, to help Ukrainian authors in need and support museums in Ukraine.

Contents List:

Introduction: Andrey Kurkov
Map of Ukraine
1. Pre-history to Early History Andriy Puchkov
2. Kyivan Rus Christian A. Raffensperger
3. The Lithuanian–Ruthenian State Diana Klochko
4. The Ukrainian Baroque Era Maksym Yaremenko
5. The Nineteenth Century and the Fin-de-Siecle Alisa Lozhkina
6. Avant-Garde Art and Theatre Myroslava M. Mudrak
7. Soviet Rule, the Ukrainian SSR and Non-conformist Art Oleksandr Soloviev
8. Postmodern and Contemporary Art Victoria Burlaka
Appendix: Folk arts Alisa Lozhkina
Timeline of Ukrainian History

About the Authors:

Andrey Kurkov is Ukraine’s most acclaimed living novelist and public commentator. Andriy Puchkov is a specialist in Ukrainian architecture and author of more than two dozen monographs. Christian Raffensperger is professor of history and department chair at Wittenberg University. Diana Klochko is a prominent art historian and author of 65 Masterpieces of Ukrainian Art. Maksym Yaremenko is Professor at the Department of History at the National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy. Alisa Lozhkina is an art historian, critic and author of Permanent Revolution: Art in Ukraine, XX–early XXI century. Myroslava Mudrak is Professor Emeritus of Art History at the Ohio State University and a member of the National Academy of Arts of Ukraine. Oleksandr Soloviev is a leading art critic and a local expert in contemporary art; Victoria Burlaka also specializes in contemporary art.

An in-depth overview of Ukrainian art from the dawn of Modernism in the late nineteenth century to the start of the Russian invasion in Spring 2022.

This new volume in the World of Art series provides an overview of Ukrainian art, artists and art movements from the dawn of Modernism and the 1900s to the Soviet period, to post-Soviet times and the beginning of the war with Russia in February 2022. Ukrainian art and artists are discussed within historical and political contexts as well as how they have contributed to, and interacted with, Ukrainian culture and identity. Filled with rich illustrations, each chapter explores a different art period or movement.

We are at a historical moment where Ukraine and its cultural identity are in grave danger, and author Alisa Lozhkina offers a powerful opportunity to connect curious and empathetic readers with the Ukrainian art tradition.

About the Author:

Alisa Lozhkina is a leading art historian, critic, and curator. She was the editor-in-chief of the major Ukrainian art magazine Art Ukraine and served as a deputy director and chief curator of Mystetskyi Arsenal, Kyiv, the largest museum and exhibition complex in Ukraine. Lozhkina has curated numerous art projects in Ukrainian and international museums and art centers, and published several books. She has contributed to numerous publications including Texte zur Kunst, The Art Newspaper, ARTnews, Etudes sur L'histoire de l'art, and Los Angeles Review of Books. She is also an artist.