By now you've definitely heard about the immersive art experiences sweeping the world – including those dedicated to Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo – but now there's a timely offering in North America to help the people of Ukraine.
Immersive Shevchenko: Soul of Ukraine exhibition includes admission to the Frida Kahlo experience (or the Van Gogh one if you are in LA or Toronto) — so if you were planning to go anyway, you’ll be heartened to hear that 100 percent of ticket proceeds will go to the National Bank of Ukraine Fund and the Red Cross Emergency Relief Fund for Ukraine.
This 15-minute experiential art exhibit focuses on the art of Taras Shevchenko, Ukraine’s famous poet, artist and patriot. Shevchenko, who lived from 1814 to 1861, was born into serfdom and was orphaned at a young age. With his art and literature, he rebelled against Russia, making fun of the tsar and promoting Ukraine’s independence. A fellow artist, Karl Briullov, sold a painting by lottery to buy Shevchenko’s freedom when he was in his mid-20s. Shevchenko was exiled to St. Petersburg in 1847. Seven days after his death, the Emancipation Reform of 1861 abolished serfdom, freeing those people to buy property, to marry without official consent, and to run businesses. Shevchenko’s likeness appears on the 100 hryvnia banknote, that national currency of Ukraine.
Of Shevchenko’s over 1,000 works of art (paintings, etchings, and pencil drawings that depict historical ruins and Ukrainian people, among other subjects), 278 have been lost forever. Today’s Ukrainians feared damage or destruction of Kyiv's National Museum of Taras Shevchenko when the Russian war began and last month boxed up his work to take it to safety – using the same crates that moved that work in 1941 before the Nazi occupation.
Availability is very limited, and the experience ends in March (in April in Chicago). Buy tickets today if you want to be sure to see the experience in Boston, LA, Chicago, Toronto, Denver or San Francisco.
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