Lecture "Kharkiv "Zaporozhtsy...": Ripyn's underrated masterpiece

About the Event

Lecture: The Kharkiv “Cossacks…” – Repin’s Underrated Masterpiece

Date: August 6, 7:15 PM
Location: ZENYK ART GALLERY (3rd floor)

We invite you to a unique lecture by art historian and public speaker Diana Klochko, dedicated to the Kharkiv version of “Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to the Turkish Sultan” — a work by renowned Ukrainian artist Illia Repin. This lesser-known version remains largely overlooked, yet it rivals the St. Petersburg painting in artistic power and cultural significance.

Lecturer:

Diana Klochko – art historian, visual culture researcher, author of over 15 courses on art history, member of the Ukrainian section of AICA, and writer of numerous publications including the acclaimed book "65 Ukrainian Masterpieces."

What will the lecture explore?

• Why was this work silenced for decades?

• How did Soviet ideology construct a myth around the "only true" version of the Cossacks, promoting the Russian canvas while sidelining the Ukrainian one?

• Why were sketchiness and artistic freedom labeled as "bourgeois flaws" — and how did this affect Repin’s reception in Ukraine?

The Kharkiv version has its own dramatic story. Throughout the 20th century, it was almost never featured on stamps, postcards, or in textbooks. Soviet visual culture deliberately promoted the Russian version, shaping the artistic canon.

This lecture will reveal:

• How the Kharkiv version differs from the St. Petersburg one, and why it matters to Ukrainian culture.

• The impact of Soviet censorship on artistic narratives.

• Why now is the time to return the Kharkiv “Cossacks” to their rightful place in art history.

After the talk, you'll have the opportunity to view the original painting as part of the “HEAVEN/HELL” exhibition and discover its true artistic value.

Date: August 6, 7:15 PM
Location: ZENYK ART GALLERY (3rd floor)

Tickets are limited.