Yang and Yin at the Ukrainian Institute

What a pleasure
to enter the private space
of these young lovers








Not just the two faceless ones
appearing in the sculpture
but the married couple from Lviv
Vasyl and Svitlana Yarych,
who had this exhibit
at the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art.










Vasyl Yarych is a sculptor
in the classic tradition
(via a Soviet art education)
i.e. he hunts for monumentality
in even the smallest pieces.

(though, ironically
he seems to have lost it
in this large monument
to King Danylo)

And, he works the classic
patriarchal Christian
and Roman themes
of European art.

(Europa and the Bull,
Judith and Holofernes, etc)

While Svitlana,
whose paintings appear
in the background above,
works that genre
traditionally
practiced by women.

I.e.,
she is basically
a fabric designer.
(even if canvas
is the fabric chosen
for the above pieces)











His work is very masculine,
hers is very feminine,
and together
they seem like
such a fine pair of young lovers.
(as might also be suggested
by these gently erotic pieces
that seem to exemplify
a relationship
that is as caring and sensitive
as it is robustly sensual.


(Even if he is 60
and she is 50
years old.)










Much of Vasyl's work
seems intended for
a public or liturgical
setting.








But the best setting
for the work
of these are two artists
is really the bedroom.











I can't recall
the work of any Chicago artists
that seems to belong there
quite so much as theirs does.









The title
of these pieces
is "Conversation"





This theme
has not appeared
in American sculpture
for over 50 years.

here's
a great version by Paul Manship.

here's one by my father.

And there's many more --
but none
have quite such
a gentle (though powerful)
bull.





This bull has been
thoroughly tamed













The hoped for result
of all this merry making















Here's some
of his religious art.

It's blockish forms
seem aimed
at the Eastern church,
and that Pieta
in the foreground
seems quite innovative.




The standing couples
are all Adam and Eve









Back to back,
they seem
quite docile, don't they?


Why would God
ever want to
throw them out of the garden?

































Judith
up to her old tricks.














This Prodigal Son
needs to be done
in Ivory








This Kozak,
warrior and bard,
is the embodiment
of Ukrainian manhood.

Big chest,
small head.






Here are
some of
Svetlana's paintings













Not surprisingingly,
she is Assistant Professor
at the Lviv Academy of Arts’
Department of Clothing Design