The Myth and Magic of Ukrainian Pysanky: A Talk by Sofika Zielyk

Sofika Zielyk, an American-born daughter of Ukrainian refugees, began making pysanky and ceramics when she was six years old. What started as a family tradition has blossomed into an extensive career. Zielyk’s work has been exhibited in major museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Arts and Design, as well as in international cities including Paris and Rome. Zielyk, a member of the prestigious Association of Folk Artists of Ukraine, became a 2014-2015 Fulbright Scholar, spending eight months in Kyiv, Ukraine researching folk art as the inspiration and muse for early 20th century Ukrainian artists. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Zielyk engaged in cultural diplomacy using her artistic talents and ethnographic expertise to support Ukraine. Zielyk’s projects have been featured in major media outlets including CNN, TIME Magazine, and The Washington Post.

We are grateful to the International Folk Art Foundation, Friends of Folk Art, and donors to the Museum of New Mexico Exhibition Development Fund, including Mark Naylor and Dale Gunn, Gwenn and Eivind Djupedal, Rosalind Doherty, Barbara Forslund, David Vogel and Larry Fulton, The Gale Family Foundation, and TOKo Santa Fe for their support of Amidst Cries from the Rubble: Art of Loss and Resilience from Ukraine and its related programming.

Image courtesy of Sofika Zielyk.