Two unique lots will be available for purchase at the artist’s paper-cut exhibition in support of military medics and families of prisoners of war: portrait of paramedic Taira “Taira is free!” and military medic Maryana Mamonova “Madonna of Mariupol”.
House of the Warrior
city of Lviv
Taras Bobanych St. “Hammer”, 1A
January 20, 2023
15:00
January 20, 2023, at the Warrior’s House in Lviv there will be a charity auction “On the heartbeat line” of Maria Gupalo’s cuttings.
The auction will be presented 2 lots:
work “Taira is free!” (2022)
“Madonna of Mariupol” (2022).
The starting price of lots is 40,000 hryvnias
.
Funds received from the auction will be used to support military doctors and families of prisoners of war.
“Fortress Bakhmut stands no matter what. The self-sacrifice of our soldiers is impressive to the core. Let’s support them as they stand for us.” – calls artist Maria Hupalo.
“A month ago, I just presented the Stanisław Vincenz Prize to the paramedic and volunteer Taira. Yuliia Paievska’s good deeds are an example of humanitarian service, which has now become an act of direct action. Now humanitarianism means serving in the Armed Forces, helping people, both military and civilian, protecting our values and Ukraine.” – noted People’s Deputy of Ukraine Mykola Kniazhytskyi.
In addition, it will take place opening of the exhibition of carvings by the craftswoman Maria Hupalo “Ukraine on Fire”, which will be exhibited at the Warrior’s House from January 20 to February 25.
Moderator
Maria Petryshyn, head of the veteran space Rehub Lviv
Speakers:
Welcome word from Yuliia Paievska (Taira)
Maria Hupalo, the author of vytynanak
Tatusya Bo, blogger, co-founder of BO “Ukrainian Foundation” “Mriya”
Mykola Kniazhytskyi, People’s Deputy of Ukraine
Solomiya Rybotytska, deputy of the Lviv Regional Council
Rostyslav Shmagalo, doctor of art studies, professor of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv
The event was organized by efforts charitable organizations “Ukrainian Foundation”, “Mriya” and “Communities of self-help”, the House of the Warrior and the International Forum of Central and Eastern Europe “Via Carpatia”.
Information partner – Espreso TV channel.
For reference
Maria Hupalo
Maria Hupalo was born and lives in Lviv. She graduated from the Ukrainian Catholic University. By profession, Maria is a teacher of theology, teaches a number of courses at the Faculty of Philosophy and Theology of UCU, as well as separate courses for students of other specialties. She is interested in the connection between religion, ethics and environmental protection. Conducts research in the field of ecotheology, a field that is just emerging in Ukraine.
Passion for vytinany appeared in 2013. Since then, Maria has been creating works in this technique. At some point, inspired by another local artist, Maria invented her own style – a monumental carving. The artist is constantly looking for new forms of expression, paper cutting and processing techniques, new types of materials, experiments with various ethnic, historical and modern styles, as well as with three-dimensional forms. Maria cites the decorative and applied arts of the peoples of the world, in particular the indigenous peoples of North America, and the Ukrainian artistic heritage, especially Easter motifs, among her favorite themes for her work. She incorporates Pysan patterns and embroidery elements from different regions of Ukraine into the composition of her works, using their deep symbolism to better express the idea embedded in one or another work.
Maria is also fascinated by the decorative styles of the beginning of the last century: art deco, modern, avant-garde. Favorite artists include Alphonse Mucha, Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele. Sophisticated plant motifs, unique wavy geometric patterns characteristic of this style inspired the artist to create the allegorical works “Faith” and “Love”. The influence of these artists is reflected in the style of portraits of Sofia Fredro-Sheptytskyi, the mother of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskyi, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. These works are in the collection of the charity art project “Prayer to the Metropolitan. Sofia”.
The paintings created in 2021-2022 are the result of the artist’s latest experiments with style and form of expression. These works are meditative, almost iconic, reflecting the artist’s philosophical reflections on self-discovery, meeting and communicating with the Other, the mystical experience of God, the presence and absence of God, love. According to her, tangled lines, blurred contours, transitions of light focusing on the eyes, best allow you to feel the mysterious moment of the Meeting. We let the picture speak to us, discovering more and more images in the whimsical weaves of paper lace.
Now the artist is focused on thinking about the war in Ukraine and how Ukrainians are experiencing it: the displaced and the homeless; military personnel and their families; people who were physically or mentally traumatized by the war; victims of Russian terrorism and atrocities. It depicts how Ukrainians protect their children, their values, what is most precious in their lives, without losing their human face. “Paintings of War” is an ongoing project where the artist interprets the desire of her compatriots for freedom.
Lot #1
Taira is free! (2022)
Paper for pastels, cutout
Yuliia Paievska, better known as Taira, is a paramedic, the founder and leader of the volunteer medical evacuation unit “Taira’s Angels”. Member of the Ukrainian Invictus Games team. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion in 2014, Taira has saved more than 500 lives of Ukrainian soldiers. On March 16, 2022, Taira was captured in Mariupol. Russian media used Taira in their propaganda campaigns. They published videos containing signs of psychological and physical influence on her. The “Save Taira” #SaveTayra #FreeTayra campaign continued in Ukraine and abroad. This piece was planned as part of a campaign for her release, but luckily she was released on June 17th. According to her, the “stone bags” in which Ukrainian military and civilian prisoners are kept are no different from a concentration camp. Prisoners are not allowed to have contact with their relatives, they are not allowed to be transferred, they are tortured. Taira is already free, but hundreds of thousands of deported Ukrainians and thousands of prisoners are not yet, including most of the defenders of Azovstal. Therefore, we must constantly put pressure on Russia to return our people to their homeland.
This picture is exclusive, because it has the autograph of Taira herself. The funds raised from the sale of this painting will go towards the purchase of vitally necessary tourniquets, bandages, occlusive bandages for the stabilization point in Bakhmut.
The starting price is 40,000 hryvnias
Lot #2
Mariupol Madonna (2022)
Pastel paper, acrylic, cut-out, mixed media
The painting depicts Maryana Mamonova, a military medic who was pregnant at the time of the siege of Azovstal and was with her brothers and sisters in the plant’s bunkers. Later, after the extraction procedure, she was captured by the Russians and spent several months in Olenivka. The terms were just right, but the conditions of detention were terrible. What future awaits the child of a prisoner of war? Will they not be separated? But, to the great relief of all Ukrainians, Maryana got on the lists for exchange and returned home on September 21, 2022, along with other released defenders. Soon she gave birth to a daughter. Life conquers death.
The starting price is 40,000 hryvnias
