Oleksandra Kovalchuk, Deputy Director of the Odesa Fine Arts Museum, Ukraine, and leader of the non-governmental organization Museum for Change, will be the featured guest at Heritage Museums & Garden’s International Museum Day event Thursday, May 18, from noon to 1 p.m. at Heritage, 67 Grove St., Sandwich.
Both activist and volunteer, Kovalchuk is raising funds to help preserve cultural heritage at institutions of the Odesa region and beyond. In a one-hour presentation, she will share an introduction to Ukrainian art, with images illustrating examples ranging from the 12th century through 2022.
After the beginning of a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, Kovalchuk arrived in Massachusetts with her husband and son. Since then she has been working to raise awareness about Ukrainian culture and the efforts of museums to protect Ukrainian heritage. During the past year, she has been a presenter at several institutions including Boston University, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Peabody Essex Museum, the Ogunquit Museum of American Art, and the House of Seven Gables.
This program is free with museum admission or membership. No advance registration required. All proceeds from voluntary donations or the sale of merchandise from the Odesa Fine Arts Museum, available at the program, will benefit Museum for Change. This organization is partnering with UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), the ALIPH (International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict) Foundation, Cultural Emergency Response, and other international organizations to aid Ukrainian museums in preserving the art and cultural artifacts of Ukraine.
