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Alexander Archipenko (1887-1964), First Cubist Sculptor

Alexander Archipenko (1887-1964), First Cubist Sculptor

Today, May 30th, marks 133 years since the birth of Alexander Archipenko (1887-1964), the first Cubist sculptor.

Every book on twentieth century modern art mentions Alexander Archipenko. While alive, he was acknowledged as one of the most acclaimed modern sculptors in the world. Artworks visualized and executed by Alexander Archipenko are held in important private and international museum collections, among them, Centre George Pompidou, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Kunstmuseum Bern, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Phillips Collection, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Tate Gallery, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, and Whitney Museum of American Art. Notwithstanding this, with his unique art, he raised awareness of Ukrainian culture to a higher level more than any Ukrainian diplomat could have.

Ihor Sikorsky (1889-1972), father of modern helicopters

Ihor Sikorsky (1889-1972), father of modern helicopters

Ihor Sikorsky, Ukrainian-born American aviation pioneer, was born in Kyiv in 1889. His mother was a doctor and his father a psychology professor at Kyiv University.

Homeschooled by his mother until age 9, he acquired a love for science through the flying machines in Leonardo da Vinci’s journals and Jules Verne’s books. By age 12, the budding engineer had already built a rubber band powered helicopter.

While studying at the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, he designed two helicopters, among the first such designs in the world, as well as a series of biplanes. On December 29, 1911 he established the world speed record (111 km/hr) for a loaded plane (three passengers), the C-6. From 1912 to 1917 he worked as chief designer at a Russian-Baltic aviation company, where he designed and built the first airplanes with multiple engines. In 1918 he emigrated to France, and in 1919 to the United States, where he founded a number of aviation companies and headed several design teams, which constructed various airplanes and hydroplanes.

Today, May 21st is Vyshyvanka Day

Today, May 21st is Vyshyvanka Day

It is celebrated on the third Thursday of May. The Ukrainian traditional embroidered shirt is not just a beautiful garment, but a genetic code of the nation. Check out this interactive map of Ukrainian embroidered shirts throughout different regions of Ukraine and fee free to share your vyshyvanka with on our social media.

“Julia Blue” by Roxy Toporowych now streaming on Amazon Prime

“Julia Blue” was shot entirely in Ukraine and beautifully depicts the country and her people in the post-Maidan era. It is the first American independent narrative feature film to be entirely shot with all Ukrainian cast and crew.

Julia, a photojournalism student living in war-torn Ukraine, finds her path towards independence and a brighter future challenged after meeting and falling for English, a young soldier fresh from the war zone.