Art Dialogues for World Vyshyvanka Day

A warm and atmospheric meeting filled with the enduring power to create, preserve, and multiply the most valuable things — Ukrainian traditions and culture. This was the spirit of the event “Art Dialogues for World Vyshyvanka Day,” held at the information and exhibition center of the "National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity" and organized by the State Agency for the Promotion of Culture of Ukraine. The speakers included:

Volodymyr Shchybria — ethnologist, Director of the Center of Folklore and Ethnography at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv;
Lesia Voroniuk — founder of the NGO “World Vyshyvanka Day”;
Oksana Polonets — fashion designer and trend forecaster, founder of the POLONETS brand;
Tetiana Zez — founder of the NGO “Embroidery in the Clothing of Prominent Ukrainians”;
Roksoliana Shymchuk — founder of the Ethno Gallery, collector, and ethnographer.

The discussion focused on embroidered shirts of the past and present, cultural memory, identity, and the way tradition continues to live today. Participants discussed the traditions of wearing embroidered shirts, their transformation in the modern world, the ornaments, techniques, and stitches that have been preserved, as well as the symbols increasingly appearing in contemporary vyshyvankas.
The discussion was moderated by Anzhelika Rudnytska — Director General of the State Agency for the Promotion of Culture of Ukraine.

Just like Ukrainian songs, vyshyvankas carry their own deep meanings. Responding to modern realities, Ukrainian ornaments on shirts and embroidered garments continue to transform and evolve. Art lives when it develops. That is why it is important not only to research and study traditions, but also to preserve, modernize, and pass on the traditions of the Ukrainian embroidered shirt to future generations. This was one of the key messages of the meeting.

A video recording of the meeting can be viewed via the link — Art Dialogues