Once some famous person said that charity should be secret. Maybe that’s why the president of the Association of Jewellers of Ukraine Serhii Tsiupko is not quite willing to talk about his charity and philanthropic projects.
“Rich people should be grateful to God for a really valuable advantage. They can start doing philanthropy during their lifetime, which will greatly benefit their family, and give meaning to their life.” A. Carnegie
Erase the random features and you’ll see – the world is beautiful! “Philanthropist sounds too loud” – the founder of the first and only acting private museum of contemporary art in Ukraine, open to all visitors is convinced. And this treasury of unique works by modern Ukrainian artist, located in Podil, at 14 Bratska Street impresses and delights. The cosy atmosphere of a chamber museum is everything that one needs to enjoy the art works. Today, its funds include nearly 4.500 paintings, which have been painstakingly collected over the years and were brought to Ukraine from various parts of the world. Here the works by Ayvazovskyi, Tsvetkova, Stoliarenko, Bortnikov are represented… It is simply impossible to list the names of all the famous Ukrainian painters represented in the halls and galleries archives. Moreover, the search for scattered all over the world Ukrainian masterpieces is still going on. «Recently we bought a canvas of our countryman Manevich at an auction in Mac Douglas” – proudly told us Serhii. Returning the of works of Ukrainian artists to their historical homeland is one of the main activities of the unique Museum of Modern Ukrainian Art. “In 1980-90s a huge amount of works, often clandestinely, were illegally exported by foreigners, and our, so called “admirers” of art abroad. There they were sold for a lot of money and settled in private collections, as interest in the Ukrainian art in the world is growing every year – continues Serhii Tsyupko. – However, I strongly believe that the masterpieces of Ukrainian painters should be kept in their homeland”. It is not a secret that collecting works of painting is a tribute to modern trend. Tereshchenko, Khanenko were replaced by those who prudently invest their money into art, hoping to make a profit. The Museum of Contemporary Ukrainian Art makes a unique case when it is not about either some financial income or some political dividends at all. This is an absolutely non-profit and altruistic project and it has just one purpose – to return the lost heritage to its homeland and to awaken a high sense of patriotism in the hearts of Ukrainians. Therefore, there is a feeling of gratitude to Serhii Tsiupko, as well as to all those who return art treasures to our descendants and us.
– Handmade relics. We also got to know about another direction of charitable activities carried out under the patronage of Serhii Viktorovych Tsiupko. We are going to focus on the unique work of masters of the Kiev Jewellery Factory on church utensils and relics.
– Serhii Viktorovych, tell us about the work of Kiev jewellers on the order for the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
– Last year we were addressed by the chief of the Russian spiritual mission in Jerusalem, Archimandrite Tikhon and offered to make and donate the silver lamps for the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. We had completed the order before the New Year and donated the temple 12 lamps, which will hang near the Star of Bethlehem. The Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III was present at the lamps handover ceremony. He liked the work of our Ukrainian jewellers and we received another order for the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, which is being fulfilled by a group of our experts now.
– How many icon lamps are you going to make?
– Twenty-five. Twelve small will hang in the temple right next to the Holy Sepulcher. The big one is going to be in the centre. People, who visited the holy place, probably remember that 12 Greek, 12 Catholic and 12 Armenian icon lamps hang near the tomb. Soon the Orthodox lamps made at Kiev Jewellery Factory, will hang next to them. Twelve lamps will hang at the stove anointed of God.
– What is going to be on the icon lamps?
– The representatives of church have provided us with sketches, according to which our masters work. In fact, we are recreating the patterns of sacred lamps, which have been permanently lost during the wars and various conflicts. One thing I can say for sure – the level of work will be very high, I would say that it would be real works of art.
– Have any other Ukrainian jewellers been addressed with a similar request from Jerusalem or Bethlehem?
– At a meeting with the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilus III and church superiors, Archimandrite Tikhon said that the last piece of jewellery as a gift from Russia was made in the previous century, in 1914.
– As far as we know, this is not the first order, which the plant makes for church?
– If you remember, in 2006 the Orthodox Church celebrated the 1700th anniversary of Saint Barbara’s martyrdom. A new silver reliquary for the relics of St. Barbara was made by the best artisans of Kiev Jewellery Factory – a high quality artistic work weighing over 225 kg. The basis of the reliquary is made of oak and trimmed with high carat silver with gilding. 125 kg of silver and 70 grams of gold were used for this work. The masters began to create the reliquary in April 2006. Shifting of the relics to a new reliquary was dedicated to the day of St. Barbara.
– Was the Icon of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra framing also made in Kiev Jewellery Factory?
– That’s right, last year, Kiev Jewellery Factory was honoured to make the framing for the icon of the Dormition of the Holly Mother – Lavra relic, which is considered to be miraculous. The Icon of the Dormition of the Theotokos has always been the most valuable treasure of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The prayers of many generations have been asking for salvation in front of it. It was painted on the cypress board, 40×29 cm in size, and represented the Virgin on her deathbed surrounded by the apostles. The icon was inserted into the frame, mounted in silver gilt circle. The expensive furnishings from the icon had disappeared after the Mongol-Tatar invasion, and a new one was ordered only in the 1820s to the famous Kiev jewellers Strelbitskyis. They placed the icon under glass in a gilt frame and inserted it into the silver circle with the diameter of 67 cm with a relief depicting angels, supporting the icon. However, in March 1922 the Soviet government stripped the icon of its golden robe, and consequently of all the other precious decorations. At the beginning of the Second World War, the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady was destroyed and all the evidence about the icon was lost. As the time changed, and the age of disbelief and blasphemy is forgotten, the best jewellers of our factory have made the precious framing for the icon again. Eight-pointed stars, adorned with 1.920 precious stones symbolize baptism, doves made of silver are the embodiment of the image of the Holy Spirit. This difficult work inspired our masters, gave them strength and spirituality, which will surely fill them with high spirit and help them in their further work.
Ksenia Diagileva
The magazine “Consumer + Authorities”, January-February 2008