DAAR Foundation

Original works by hearing impaired young artists shown at the “Spring sunny holiday” exhibition

March, 2007 - Ukraine. Alexander Saenko Art Studio with help from The DAAR Foundation held an art show featuring works from sponsored students who are hearing impaired. The children are encouraged to improvise works while being surrounded by some incredible art created by Ukrainian artist Alexander Saenko.

Alexander Saenko’s dream is to cherish the individual genius of children with hearing problems was realized by his spiritual followers – the artist’s daughter, honored prince Nina Saenko, and his granddaughter, Lesya Maydanets-Saenko, a master of painting, art history nominee, and professor of Kyiv Applied and Decorative Arts and Design. Alexander Saenko Art Studio was opened in late 2001. Since then, more than 30 students have attended the studio; some of them eventually making their way to the top of their class while others are given consulting and private lessons. The works by Oleksiy Vysotskiy, Valya Oleksiyuk, Valeriya Sytnikova, Svitlana Stepanets, Mary Semerikova are shown today. Their works reflect a poetic world of creative imagination, a mind-bending multiplicity of inimitable forms, a fantastic lace of Ukrainian ornamental compositions, a delicacy of color, created with bright pure paints. The works are made using different techniques including painting, textiles, and straw mosaic.

November 29, 2006 - Ms. Kateryna Yushchenko, Head of the Supervisory B

oard of the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Fund took part in the awards ceremony of the Holodomor of 1932-1933: Genocide of the Ukrainian Nation poster contest. The contest was initiated by Morgan Williams, working in Ukraine with SigmaBleyzer and the DAAR Foundation. The Tell the World About the Manmade Famine: Through the Eyes of Ukrainian Artists contest has been held annually for ten years . Other sponsors included the Helen and Alex Woscob Fund, granting monetary awards to the winners.
In her speech Mrs. Yushchenko, wife of President Viktor Yushchenko, thanked all the participants of the contest. “The time has come when we are able to speak about this horrible tragedy, the genocide of the Ukrainian nation. However, not only artists and historians ought to speak about it. It is important that every Ukrainian understood what happened to his people, lit a candle, and said a prayer for these people,” she said.

The Manmade Famine of 1932-1933: Genocide of the Ukrainian Nation contest was held among second to fifth year students of the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture. After the event, Mrs. Yushchenko viewed the works of the contestants, talked to the prizewinners and the administration of the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture.

Organizers of the art contest including: Ms. Kateryna Yushcenko (center), Mr. Morgan Williams with SigmaBleyzer/DAAR Foundation to her right, Alex Chapko/SigmaBleyzer, Valya Podgornaya/ DAAR Foundation, Andriy Chebykin, Rector of the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture, Jurij Klufas, President of the Entertainment Media Corporation of Toronto, Canada, Representatives of the Helen and Alex Woscob Foundation, and Oleg Chornogus