On 13 September, a Saturday, students of years 1–4 of specialty 182/G15 Light Industry Technologies took part in an event dedicated to the work of the world-famous abstract artist Wassily KANDINSKY. This educational event was organised for the participants of the student technical club “Fashion Formula” by lecturers of the Subject Committee for Specialised Light Industry Courses Polina KUZNETSOVA and Svitlana LAPCHAK.
The event took place at the M. Hrushevsky Odesa Regional Universal Scientific Library, also known as the Museum of the Ukrainian Book. Art historian, journalist and researcher Olena BALABA gave a lecture and discussion on the life and work of KANDINSKY, focusing on his connection with Odesa and Ukraine.
Olena BALABA told the students about the history of the “IZDEBSKY SALON” exhibitions, which originated in Odesa, and their influence on the European avant-garde. The lecture covered the key moments of the artist's life, his path to non-objective art and his significant influence on the modern world. The students had a unique opportunity to ask the lecturer questions and discuss what they had heard. Kandinsky's canvases are today among the most expensive in the world and are kept in the largest museums and private collections in Europe, the USA and other countries.
In addition to the lecture, the participants visited an exhibition of graphic works by the artist Hryhorii VOVK. His works, created in the direction of spiritual intensivism and binary abstractionism, are held in many museums in Ukraine and abroad, including in Israel, France, the USA, Poland, Latvia, England, Germany and Turkey.
The event was an important occasion for future specialists in the fashion industry, since becoming acquainted with the history of art, especially avant-garde movements, helps to develop creative thinking and to find new sources of inspiration for their future collections.
We sincerely thank the administration of the HRUSHEVSKY Library for the opportunity to join the educational events; their support and hospitality helped create an atmosphere that inspires learning and creativity.
Special thanks to Olena BALABA for her deep knowledge and ability to engage the audience, which allowed the students to discover the world of art in a new way and to feel the connection between history and the present.
We are also grateful for the assistance in introducing us to the work of Hryhorii VOVK. The chance to see graphic works by such a master was a real gift for all participants of the event.
