Hi!
I am writing to you from sunny Kyiv. The weather is mild and gentle, and on such days, it is hard to believe that the war is walking heavily somewhere on our land.
The situation in Kyiv is not so bad compared to frontline or near frontline territories. If you come here, you will see a city that tries hard to live. And you even feel this tension, this strong desire to show everyone, especially the enemy, that we are alive and our spirit is strong.
I have just got this thought...
Do you also feel that my letters are like conversations between two people? I hope so.
Okay, in this letter, you will see photos of Ukrainian artists from the so-called Samarkand era. Samarkand is a city in Uzbekistan. From 1941 to 1944, this city became a home for many Ukrainian artists. I will briefly tell you about this era a bit later in the letter. And the photos are from the exhibition I visited this week.
Petro Sulymenko (1914-1996), Sher-Dor, 1942
Some explanation: Sher-Dor Madrasa is a 17th-century madrasa (Islamic school) in the historical centre of Samarkand.
Let's talk about the war. I rarely tell you about the situation on the frontline. It is a topic better explained by war experts or military personnel. But this week, I heard and read a lot about it, especially Chasiv Yar, so I decided to figure out why Chasiv Yar is so important for the russians.
So, Chasiv Yar is a city in Donetsk Oblast. About 13,000 people lived here, but as of early April, about 700 remained. It is the highest point for hundreds of kilometres around. The city stands on hills that protect it from the east and south like defensive walls.
Chasiv Yar is the ‘gateway'’ to the cities of Kostiantynivka (7 km to the west) and Kramatorsk (25 km to the northwest). If the russian forces manage to capture Chasiv Yar, they will have the opportunity to launch an offensive on them and other settlements of Donetsk Oblast, which still are controlled by Ukraine. You can read a short review in Politico or a detailed explanation of the importance of Chasiv Yar in The New York Times.
Oleksandr Syrotenko (1897-1975), Evening. Samarkand, 1943
I want to add a few lines about the situation in Chasiv Yar now. Of the 700 people still living in the city, 80-85% are older people who refused to evacuate. Their main argument is that this is their home, and they want to stay here till the end.
Since February 2023, Chasiv Yar has had no gas and water supply, electricity, and poor mobile phone connection. Those who have stayed here rely on generators and water from wells to keep themselves alive.
All high-rise buildings in Chasiv Yar have been damaged by shelling; 80% of the damages are critical.
Leonid Chernov (1915-1990), Uzbek woman who takes off the laundry, 1942
To end this part, I recommend the latest report from the Institute for the Study of War, where they write, among other things, that russian forces will likely make significant tactical gains in the coming weeks as Ukraine waits for US security assistance to arrive at the front.
A few words about the latest massive missile attack on our energy infrastructure: I will give you the main consequences.
According to the Air Force, russians launched 34 missiles at Ukraine, 21 of which were destroyed.
Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, reported that four thermal power plants were significantly damaged by the attack.
In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, where air defences shot down 13 of the 34 missiles, energy facilities near Dnipro and Kryvyi Rih were damaged.
Two energy facilities were hit in Lviv Oblast, causing fires and destruction.
Another energy facility was targeted in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, causing a fire that first responders extinguished.
On the left: Vasyl Myronenko (1910-1964), An Uzbek girl in a national costume, 1942
On the right: An Uzbek girl, 1942
Now, I will take you to the Samarkand era.
During the Second World War, dozens of universities were evacuated from Ukraine to Uzbekistan (Uzbekistan was in the USSR from 1942 to 1991). The Kyiv and Kharkiv Art Institutes also continued their work in Samarkand. In this ancient Asian city, Ukrainian artists (teachers and students) created many paintings and graphic works.
The vast majority of artworks of the 'Uzbek 'period are kept in the families of artists, so a huge layer of Ukrainian art of the mid-twentieth century remains almost unknown, even to specialists.
During WWII, about 1.5 million people were evacuated to Uzbekistan from the USSR, most of them from Ukraine.
Vasyl Myronenko (1910-1964), View of Tamerlane's mausoleum, 1942
A common feature of all 'Samarkand' works was their size and technique: usually oil or watercolour paintings on small paper or cardboard. The subject was mostly landscapes and portraits. The most frequent images were of cityscapes, and the artists tried to show architectural monuments in their natural surroundings as if to dissolve them into the landscape.
During the evacuation, both students and teachers lacked art materials, which required a strict economy. Therefore, many sketches were made on small sheets of cardboard or paper, on small pieces of canvas (sometimes on both sides).
Ivan Krasnyi (1917-1990), Sketch for a theatre project in the city of Samarkand, 1943
That's what I wanted to share today. I try not to be boring (and too long), as I highly appreciate your taking the time to read these letters.
I am going to look for Victory (still a cat). She is suspiciously quiet. Usually, we write together. Sometimes, she sleeps nearby, but more often, she demands my attention (and it seems that not only mine but the whole neighbourhood).
May you have a nice new week.
Sincerely,
Yaroslava