Hi!
It is Thursday, and I am writing you a letter. Let's call it an experiment I want to try. I will continue writing such letters occasionally if you find it interesting and valuable.
The letters about the treasures destroyed by russia.
Yesterday, I visited the National Museum of History, where they have an exhibition, 'Be Careful Fragile!'. It shows photos of Mariupol's stained glass windows. I mentioned in yesterday's tweet (but not everyone is on Twitter these days) that the photos were printed on transparent acrylic, bringing the exhibits closer to the glass texture.
This is a photo project by Ivan Stanislavskyi. The exhibition results from the researcher's 'photo hunt' lasted in Mariupol from 2019 to 2021.
I will briefly describe each stained glass window in this letter. Let's keep them for history. And yes, I took all the photos you see in this letter yesterday.
An untitled stained glass window in the hall of the Markokhim Palace of Culture, later the Mariupol Chamber Philharmonic, 52 Metallurgiv Avenue
Artist: Anatolii Manokhin, late 1980s
It was the largest stained glass window in Mariupol, earning the unofficial title of "king" of Mariupol stained glass. The artist used ethnic Ukrainian motifs that were uncommon in monumental art during that period.
With the beginning of the full-scale russian invasion, like most cultural institutions, the Philharmonic became a shelter for civilians. Heavy shelling and blast waves in the spring of 2022 destroyed the stained glass window in the Philharmonic's lobby.
Stained glass windows 'Prometheus' (1977) and 'The Way to the Stars' (1992) in the hall of the Pryazovskyi State Technical University, 115 Italiiska Street
Artists: Tymofii Syvukhin, Valentyna Avdeenko
'Prometheus' is the oldest of the dated stained glass windows in Mariupol. It was created in 1977 between the second and third floors of the old university building. The youngest work of this genre in the city, 'The Way to the Stars', is located on the floor below. It was created in the days of independent Ukraine.
The fire god 'Prometheus' refers to the everyday life of metallurgists; at that time, the university was called the Metallurgical University. 'The Way to the Stars' depicts the development of scientific and technological progress.
Today, there is no clear answer to whether these works have survived. The university buildings have been heavily damaged, and the likelihood of preserving these stained glass windows is extremely low. However, according to reports, at least a fragment of the work 'The Way to the Stars' survived the russian bombing.
A stained glass window 'Berehynia' in the lobby of the former secondary professional technical school No. 156, 16B Persha Slobidska Street
Artist: Yevhen Skorlupin, date of creation unknown
A professional technical school building in Mariupol's Prymorskyi district housed a stained glass window. The school ceased operations in the 2000s, and the building fell into disrepair.
It is worth saying a few words about the author of this work, Mariupol artist Yevhen Skorlupin. When the full-scale war broke out, he and his wife were hiding from shelling in their apartment. There was not enough food and water. The 81-year-old artist did not survive another shelling. On 16 March 2022, the author of 'Berehynia' passed away.
His widow, Olha Skorlupina, stayed with her husband in the apartment, and there was no way to bury him. Two days later, the occupiers expelled her from her home. Later, the apartment burned down. Relatives were able to bury Yevhen's remains only in the autumn of 2022. His paintings also perished in the fire. Most likely, 'Berehynia' was also destroyed.
A stained glass composition 'Zodiac Signs' in the lobby of boarding school No. 4, 150 Azovstalska Street
Artist: Oleh Kovalov, 1985
Restoration: Vadym Lanoviy, 2017
The stained glass artwork was located in the Left Bank area of the city. As time went by, the window frames required replacement, and as it often occurred, the stained glass windows could be removed and replaced with standard windows. But, with the expertise and care of Mariupol artist Vadym Lanovyi, the 'Zodiac Signs' were given a new lease of life. He restored the stained glass window in 2017 and rearranged its blocks into more modern profiles.
After russian shelling, the building of boarding school No. 4 burned to the ground, all the windows were smashed, and the stained glass window was not preserved.
A stained glass composition 'Farewell', 'Shift, 'Songs of the Motherland', 'Sport', and 'Return' in the hall of the Palace of Culture of Sailors, 71 Lunina Avenue
Artists: Tymofii Syvukhin, Valentyna Avdeenko, 1981-1982
The works reflect a chronicle of sailor life. The ensemble includes five stained glass windows. An interesting feature of these stained glass windows is the artists' self-portraits, which helped date the works.
The Palace of Culture was located near a seaport and a shipyard. After the russian full-scale invasion, not a single window survived in the building. The stained glass windows are gone forever.
That's all for today. You are welcome to share the letter and let me know what you think of such topics.
If you want to support my work, you may buy me a warcoffee or support me regularly (thank you if you already do).
Sincerely,
Yaroslava