“Cossacks in the steppe”: an animated copy of the stolen painting was created in Ukraine

"Cossacks in the steppe"/Kherson Art Museum

As part of the “Stolen Art” project, an animated copy of the painting was created for Defender of Ukraine Day with soldiers Roman “Dobryak” Kolesnyk (SSO Azov Kyiv, now the Third Assault Brigade) and Stanislav “Refa” SZG ZSU ).

The project is dedicated to paintings stolen by the Russians during the occupation. It is carried out by folklorist Yaryna Sizyk and animation director Maria Ozirna (Spiritual Lychko) in support of the Kherson Art Museum.

The main goal is to restore the lost cultural heritage. After all, during the occupation, more than 10,000 works of art were stolen from the Kherson Art Museum named after Oleksandr Shovkunenko.

That is why, on October 1, on the Day of Defenders of Ukraine, as well as on the feast of the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God, the team recreated the painting “Cossacks in the Steppe” by the Ukrainian artist Serhii Vasylkivskyi (1854-1917). The animated video also includes the Ukrainian folk song “Oi tam za moryami…” performed by the youth folk group “Pike-Ryba”.

We chose this particular picture to show how the Cossacks defended and fought for independence in the past, as well as in our time – all defenders are fighting outside the borders of modern Ukraine. Therefore, the heroes of the animated picture became the fighter “Refa”, my close friend, and his comrade “Dobryak”, presented in the images of modern Cossacks, – says the animation director Maria Ozirna.

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“Cossacks in the steppe”/Kherson Art Museum < p>The Feast of the Intercession has a special significance in the Ukrainian tradition. In Cossack times, the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God was considered one of the main holidays. Cossacks revered the Mother of God as their patroness and protected her icons in Sich churches.

They believed that she protected them in battle, and prayed before her image before important battles. In addition, it was on Pokrov that new Cossack chieftains were traditionally elected, which emphasizes the importance of this day in the life of Cossacks.

Let us remind you that chef and restaurateur Yevhen Klopotenko and singer Dasha Astaf'eva were filmed in the previous episodes of the “Stolen Art” project.