ZAG Studio presents the exhibition project “Figure,” dedicated to the Sheptytsky family — five brothers whose activities significantly shaped the intellectual, moral, and spiritual landscape of Galicia from the late 19th to the first half of the 20th century.
Unlike the widely recognized figure of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, other members of the family have rarely received artistic representation. The project “Figure” works with this absence of imagery, proposing a reflection on the “figure” not only as a historical personality, but as an ethical, intellectual, and cultural presence within its time.
At the center of the exhibition are the five Sheptytsky brothers, as well as their parents: Count Ivan Kantii Sheptytsky and Sofia of the Fredro family, whose figure emerges as the moral and educational core of the household.
The Sheptytsky Brothers:
• Roman Maria Oleksandr (Andrey) — Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, spiritual leader and patron of the arts;
• Kazymyr Maria (Klymentii) — Archimandrite of the Studite Order, martyr for faith;
• Stanislav Maria Yoan — military figure, general;
• Leon (Lev) Yosyf Maria — public figure and patron;
• Oleksandr Maria Dominik — public figure and patron.
The project brings together archival materials, works from private collections, and pieces by contemporary Ukrainian artists who offer not illustrative portrayals, but artistic interpretations of historical figures — through symbol, metaphor, and generalized imagery. The media range from painting and graphics to sculpture and collage.
A distinct conceptual axis of the exhibition is the theme of brotherhood — unity not through sameness, but through different roles within a shared cause. In the context of today’s war, this idea gains particular resonance, reminding us of responsibility, sacrifice, and fidelity to common values.
The exhibition is created in partnership with a descendant of the family, Jan Sheptytsky, with the participation of private Lviv collections and archives.
Duration: January 28 – February 8, 2026
Location: ZAG Studio, 3rd floor of ZAG Gallery