Art and Kyiv

 

Right now there is a lot of news from Kyiv (aka Kiev) as Russia has begun an invasion of Ukraine, and it is assumed the biggest city is a target.  Many believe regime change and a Russian takeover are the goals, and they may be right.  I do have a number of artistic associations with the city, due both to art history teaching and my own artwork, so when I hear the news, I have a lot to think about.

For example, on the news today there was talk about how Kyiv is the common point of origin for both Ukraine and Russia, an origin that dates back many centuries and began with the Vikings, and that is true. I know this from art history, which I used to teach at my community college.  Actually the Vikings were everywhere in the past, having a big effect on France and England (they were the Normans or Norsemen) that won the Battle of Hastings that created England as we know it today.  This came about because the French were tired of the constant invasions, and decided to just give them some land to live and work in if they would just stay there and stop invading.  A few hundred years later, the people of Sicily invited the Vikings to come and rule, as long as they chased out the ruling Moors first.  And this they did.  After all, the Vikings had been converted to Christianity as far back as the Roman empire, the Norse mythology becoming mythology instead of religious belief long before they invaded France the first time.  (my art history texts included representations of the early Viking Christian churches that were built then)  One of the arguments being made by Russia is that the area of Ukraine had been part of the Russian empire once upon a time, so they had the right to take it now.  An argument against it was that most of Europe had been part of one other nation or another at some point, whether it be Viking, Holy Roman Empire, or Nazi Germany, and those are not in force anymore, so why should this be?  What became known as the city of Kyiv started as a Viking trading center (either located on a river or near one, it was a quick trip from Scandinavia for the Vikings and their boats), and it grew from there to being the center of an empire.  I covered all this in my art history classes, so if my students were paying attention, they should know this, too.  

I learned more even earlier, as part of my own art.  While still in Carbondale, I began my Everyman project, and one of my earliest pieces in that series was my print ST OLGA.  The story as told in Butler's is that she was the wife of the prince of Kiev, and widowed when he was assassinated.  She 

found the men responsible and had them scalded to death with steam. And she had hundreds of their political followers executed.   And then she converted to Christianity and helped to Christianize Russia, if you are wondering how such a person became a saint.  Not only did I have an idea how to show the element of the story, she was a great example of the Everyman concept I was pursuing, so this piece had to be made.  

As a result of all this, making this print and teaching art history, I have dealt with the idea of Kyiv or Kiev before, and I have many associations with it.  I know its history, and where it fits in with the whole history of Europe.  I'm rooting for the Ukrainians to win this battle,  and they just might.