Sketch of a Stained Glass Window 'Shevchenko. Mother' for the Kyiv Art Institute 1964

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to this striking sketch for a stained-glass window. This is Alla Horska’s “Sketch of a Stained-Glass Window 'Shevchenko. Mother' for the Kyiv Art Institute," created in 1964. Editor: Wow. The colors are singing! So vibrant. I feel like I’m gazing into some kind of fractured memory, you know? The figures feel simultaneously ancient and urgent, somehow. Curator: Horska’s work consistently engages with Ukrainian national identity and Soviet-era politics. Her choice to depict Shevchenko, a towering figure in Ukrainian literature and national consciousness, is already quite pointed. Notice how she connects Shevchenko’s image with that of a mother and child; it’s a powerful articulation of national spirit. Editor: Absolutely. There's such strength and tenderness emanating from those panels. It’s like a primal connection—a mother’s love for her child mirroring a love for the motherland. The fractured glass effect really drives home a sense of resilience, doesn’t it? As if piecing together fragments of identity after something shattered. Curator: Exactly. This was a period of intense cultural and political negotiation within the Soviet Union. Artists like Horska used symbolism and historical narratives to subtly challenge dominant ideologies and assert Ukrainian identity. The proposed stained-glass window, intended for the Kyiv Art Institute, a place of cultural production, amplifies this statement. Editor: The patterns feel almost Byzantine, infused with this raw, modern energy. I keep coming back to the light. I imagine the way real light would flood through the colors, transforming the space—transforming us! There’s this hidden narrative baked into it; almost feels like it needs light to unveil the story inside it. Curator: Indeed. Unfortunately, the final stained-glass window wasn’t realized. The work, deemed nationalist, was rejected, reflecting the limitations placed on artistic expression during that time. Horska faced significant repercussions for her artistic and political activities. Editor: Such a shame that this stained glass didn't reach its full glory. Even in sketch form, you can feel the weight of what it was meant to be, of what it was fighting to say, radiating through the art. I am left with so many thoughts buzzing around, especially considering all we know now. Curator: I agree, reflecting on this design, it’s a testament to art’s ability to both capture and create the narratives that shape us.