The Ukrainian Museum — Attraction in New York

The Ukrainian Museum has wonderful material in their exhibits, but they don’t give enough context to support their goal of decolonizing the history of avant-garde art. The exhibit on Aleksandra Ekster has wonderful art, but only one exhibit label, which annoyingly changes between English and Ukrainian and is hard to read in time. Why not just have two exhibit labels so you can read without stress? I watched a video about Ukrainian avant-garde art by the Ukrainian Museum of Canada that showed how much you can do to make the argument for a self-aware Ukrainian movement. There’s a huge photo of Ekster’s apartment building in this exhibit, but only from the video from Canada did I learn that it was the site of important meetings among Ukrainian artists. Why not take the time to let the viewer know what all these paintings mean as part of Ukrainian history? Instead, the aesthetic of the gallery, with white walls and nothing on the labels, is withholding and elitist. Unless you go in with a lot of knowledge, it’s very hard to get much from the exhibit. There need to be more exhibit labels throughout that actually tell a story and make an argument, like the video from Canada. They are showing Aelita, Queen of Mars, but it’s almost impossible to find the exhibit labels throughout in the dark room. I know it from undergrad, but having some kind of explanation before you go into the room would be better. There’s a beautiful selection of paintings of the modern period on the second floor that the exhibit label says are presented in a decolonial context, but really they are given no context at all. Once again there are white walls and bare bones exhibit labels with just the artist, title and date. It’s a shame because there must be a narrative that can be told about them. The place in Canada...

A Ukrainian Odyssey

As I wandered through Kiev's golden-domed monasteries, Odessa's majestic opera house, and Vosnesensk's quaint streets, Ukraine captivated my heart. Rich history seeped from every stone.

In Kiev, sunset over the Dnipro River painted the sky with hues of crimson and gold. I marveled at St. Sophia's Cathedral, its ancient mosaics telling tales of Byzantine glory.

Odessa's vibrant markets and beaches pulsed with life. The Black Sea's gentle breeze carried whispers of its storied past.

Vosnesensk's rustic charm and rolling hills reminded me of Ukraine's enduring spirit.

Ukraine, you have left an indelible mark on my soul.

Rating: 5/5

Favorite Experiences:

Kiev's St. Sophia Cathedral Odessa's National Opera and Ballet Vosnesensk's scenic countryside

Recommendations:

Explore Kiev's Podil neighborhood Visit Odessa's Catacombs Savor traditional Ukrainian cuisine: borscht, varenyky, and kovbasa

Ukraine, I will return. Until then I will keep visiting the Ukrainian museum at East Village NYC lovely...

I feel kind of silly writing a review for a museum because you sort of know what to expect and exhibitions change often so anything that I really enjoyed may be gone when you read this and decide to go. That being said I feel like the Ukrainian museum does an excellent job of showcasing aspects of Ukrainian culture - whatever on display is interesting and well curated. It's a small museum - don't expect to spend more then two hours (and that's if you're a big fan) but that makes it accessible. Drop in on a quiet afternoon and...