The  project  “Get  to Know Ukrainian Ancient Art Via  the Pysanka  and  Its Ornaments” was  held among the senior students of “Centre of Hope” School, Rivne, Ukraine, within the implementation of  the educational concept “National and Cultural Upbringing  in Modern School”.  It was aimed at raising senior students’ awareness in the field of ethnographic art and showing how unique artistic samples have been preserved from the Ancient time till nowadays in Ukraine.

The  students were  involved  into  the  processes  of  the  research,  presentation  and  application  of acquired knowledge in the field of art based on the intrinsic techniques of the Pysanka ornaments.

The  project  has  also  become  the  bridge  between  different  generation  due  to  promoting  the everlasting art and keeping national and cultural traditions.  The  students were  involved  into  the  processes  of  the  research,  presentation  and  application  of acquired knowledge in the field of art based on the intrinsic techniques of the Pysanka ornaments. 

Students took part at the workshops that were aimed at applying the knowledge and techniques of depiction in the form of the symbolic Easter eggs and exchanging their experience.

Within  the project  the participants systematized Easter ornaments according  to  the  regions of  the country and  techniques of  their design  including  images,  lines and  the shades of the colours  that were used by the craftsmen in the past. The indigenous ornaments were chosen to make samples to reproduce them on the carved plywood boards that resembled Easter eggs at the workshops by the students. What  is more,  the exhibitions of artistic wares were displayed after each practice  to show  the  results  of  the  project  that was  aimed  at  attracting  people’s attention  to  the problem of passing  and keeping  cultural  traditions. The  achieved  results  can become  the  foundation  of  the cultural enrichment among  the youth. It also can become the beginning of the exchange between Ukraine  and  other  countries  to  preserve  and  promote  ethnographic  art  as  the  part  of European culture.

Ukraine is known as the country with deep cultural roots. Besides architecture and paintings, they are  introduced  in  Pysanka  (a  painted  Easter  egg)  with  ornaments  which  represent  distinctive techniques of each  region of Ukraine. Shades of paints, curves of  lines and symbolic  images  in Pysanka were used in other forms of art and became an integral part of Ukrainian culture.

The project “Get to Know Ukrainian Ancient Art Via the Pysanka and Its Ornaments” was a unique way  to  teach senior students how art has been preserved  from  the Ancient  time  till nowadays  in Ukraine.

According to the aim of the project  the following objectives were set before the organizers and the participants of the project:

– to develop students’ interest in Ukrainian ancient art;

– to encourage students to find neglected Pysanka ornaments used by our ancestors by   

  visiting the exhibitions, interviewing old people and searching in the libraries;

– to present the findings in the form of the report;

– to arrange workshops among the students where they try  in practice to reproduce

   ornaments of the Pysanka;

– to cultivate among the youth creativity as the way of cultural enrichment; 

– to summarize the project by taking part in the Easter celebrations held by the town

   authorities.

The research was done by the volunteers among the students of the school. Teachers supervised the  students  during  the  project.  They  motivated  them  to  share  their  experience  with  their classmates  to promote  the cultural significance of  the Pysanka as  the example of everlasting art  which  is passed  from generation  to generation. What  is more,  the  research work was  the way  to prove that culture is not far, but it lives in each house and can be in each life.

The project was held during three years. It included three stages: 

– the research; 

– presentation;

– application of acquired knowledge. 

The  students  presented  their  research,  showed  findings  and  explained why  the  ornaments  and images  were  intrinsic  for  certain  regions.  The  culmination  of  each  stage  was  traditionally  held during  the week  before Easter.  The  participants  took  part  at  the workshops  that were  aimed  at applying  the knowledge and  techniques of  the depiction  in  the  form of  the symbolic Easter eggs and exchanging the experiences with their teachers, friends and families.

The project “Get to Know Ukrainian Ancient Art Via the Pysanka and Its Ornaments” was a part of the implementation of the educational concept under the  title “National and Cultural Upbringing in Modern School” in the form of acquaintance with ethnographic art.         It allowed the students to make the  link  between  traditions  and  cultural  heritage  and  promote  the  uniqueness  of  the  artistic ornaments.

The project “Get to Know Ukrainian Ancient Art Via the Pysanka and Its Ornaments” is the way to  resume  and  promote  forgotten  ethnographical  ornaments  in  the  form  of  the  Pysanka  (an Easter painted  egg).  Its  ornaments are worth European attention  due  to  their  unicity. Filigree handmade samples have already generated interest among the inhabitants of Lindlar, Germany while visiting the exhibition displayed by the Ukrainian museum of Pysanka. Also the examples of pysankas were displayed  in  the museum of Paris, France. That  is why   the Pysanka via  its ornaments has all  the prerequisites  to convey  the  ideals of art and crafts   to  the wide  layers of the European population.

The project was directed  to  the  involvement of  the senior students  to get acquainted with  the national and cultural heritage of the country. However, the duration and the scale of the project have  shown  that  each  year more  youth  are  interested  in  the  art  and  crafts.  The  project  also gave  the possibility  to meet new people, develop communication skills during  the presentation and to draw the attention of Mass Media. 

Today, Ukrainian Pysanka  has become  the  object  of  the  intense  research  by  ethnographers, culturologists,  philosophers  and  even  physicists.  Its  popularity  is  estimated  by  the  number  of visitors of the exhibitions in museums and galleries of Ukraine and abroad.   This piece of art and craft  is  able  to  join  generations  and  nation. Besides  the  ornaments,  the Pysanka  represents traditions  that join culture and history.  It should be mentioned  that  the Pysanka  is made of  the natural materials  that cannot be preserved during  the  long  time period. There are only several ancient  samples  in  the  museums  and  galleries.  But  the  project  has  tried  to  collect  more ornaments and techniques to pass to following generations and does not let the Pysanka to be forgotten.

The project “Get to Know Ukrainian Ancient Art Via the Pysanka and Its Ornaments” has gained its  popularity  among  the  students  of  the  school.  It  has  also  attracted  the  attention  of  the community.