olha pryymak

Over the holidays got around to reading a very noteworthy book in Ukrainian: Svitlana Prykalo’s “Zelena Margaryta” (Green Margarita). Here’s a review by Vydnokola magazine:

“An extravagant cocktail with a Ukrainian scent” – these are the words Liudmyla Vynohorodska uses to describe her impressions on reading recently released Svitlana Pyrkalo’s Green Margarita. According to the author, Ukrainian fiction of the latest decades, or, more precisely – Ukrainian post-colonial fiction, pinpoints its own crisis and in many respects inadequacy. A traditional plot once seen as a perfect sample one now appears to be exhausted, over-elaborated, or loaded with too much straightforward propaganda issues. As Vynohorodska tries to show, Pyrkalo’s prose is somewhat different. It’s a try to represent the author’s ‘self’ through the mirror of her principal female character – Marina Pohribna; a fragmented mix (or cocktail) of other people’s words and conversations, images of friends, recollections of parties, events and even insults. In other words, it’s a representation of everyday life of a woman in the post-colonial society with a scope of all-too-familiar questions: money and language, family relations and friendships, employment, accommodation, emigration and so forth. Thus, this remarkable display of life situations and attitudes reflects an overall Pyrkalo’s message, her inner deep concern with gender issues, – argues Vynohorodska.

I really relate to her light and funny style and very proud to note she is a frined of a friend. Some call her Ukrainian Helen Fielding (“Bridgit Jones Diary”). Same description can be applied to her follow up novel “Ne Dumai pro Chervone” (“Don’t Think of Red”). Now Svitlana works at the Ukrainian BBC service in London. Sorry to say there are no translations of her novels into English just yet.

Had a great time at the book fair in Kyiv last weekend. Highly reccomend everyone going there again on 19 December (at the Ukrainian House). The publishers of note are Vydavnyctvo Starogo Leva, Granit, for the little ones who can not read yet- take Cachalot.  My frined Yuila brought us this one and it was so nice, I could not resist getting a few more. It’s a perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon indoors; they offer a playground for the little ones.

The Ukrainian House – 1, Khreschatyk, Evropeiska ploshcha

I dug up a most exhaustive list of places, in Kyiv in particular of various coffee-shops and restaurants that offer wi-fi (mostly free, but some charge). It’s a great resource for those trying to get away from the house and do some work (wink Claire) or for travelers who dared to schlep their laptop along. Of the places listed, I often used Babooin and Antresol, the speed was average but the availability more or less stable.

The only donwside to this list is that it’s in Russian ( only basic understanding of Russian is required – to read the name of the establishment highlighted blue on top and the adress on the bottom).

Just got another nice link in Russian-language online newspaper about hotstpots, no info there about prices.

For me the FT Weekend last page read has been a staple of every pleasant Saturday morning. With the departure of Tyler Brule I feared the paper will never be the same. So it happened, it changed, and for the better. Now Chrystia Freeland took over his Fast Lane (called now the A-Train) column. To my delight I soon discovered she is a former expat to Ukraine writing often on Ukraine-related matters and super vitty and intelligent to top it all.

In her last post, available online, she touched on the growing popularity of Ukrainian nannies export to the US when dicussing the States’ curent attitude to the migrants, etc.

During my time in DC Taras Kuzio’s talks always were welcomed with great reverence by the diaspora.  He appears to be the top expert on all things Ukrainian in the North America at the moment.   And now I found his blog.  The posts seem to be translated into English  from BBC Ukrainian service website (in Ukrainian).   Hightly reccomend reading it for some intelligent independet view on Ukrainian politics.

A blogger, very well versed in Ukrainian contemporary culture, and art in particular, writes a critical, edgy, and very rich in content blog proza.com.ua. He now publishes in Sho magazine. His site a great read (even if you do not read in Russian yet, the illustrations are telling enough) although it took me about a year to get used to his freedom of posting a l-o-t about art that edges into pornography. Well, this seems to be the trend in all of the contemporary art these days… I linked this picture from his LJ but it’s also published in this weeks TimeOut.

… almost won (second place) the 2007 Eurovision contest. The victorious Verka Serduchka – Andriy Danylko leaves nobody indifferent to her perfomance and her (his) persona among the Ukrainians. Hat tipped to this unique modern cultural phenomenon!!

(photo courtecy of proza.com.ua)

“A man in search of his roots, the woman following his boots “-is the catchphrase behind the new documentary about Eugene Hutz.   I dug up a trailer for it on YouTube, check it out.  I can’t believe Hutz (Gogol Bordello’s) music is still not big in Ukraine!!  He’s got quite a cult following in North America.

There is a lot of talk on the town about Gapchinska. She is labeled for being outwardly commercial, a mere children’s book illustrator, etc-etc. I did not want to put in my five cents untill I visited her gallery on Mykailivska and now I did! All those labels are true and then some more. Her images are very likable, simple, and highly sellable (and for a very hefty price).

Behind the saccharine decorations there is a solid concept, certain recognizable style in which all works are kept. and great business cunning. I send my regards for all of those points. And finally, why criticize unnecessarily if ultimately the works sell? As my wise art teacher said, there will be a buyer for every artwork, just need to find the right match. And what if this matchmaking is done with a bit of marketing help? The rest is while envy. Go see the ongoing exhibit!

16 Mykhailivska (shares the entrance with some law firm)

Sometime during the winter I wrote about the March of Santas. Now the season of walking advertisements re-opens with even more colorful and attention grabbing outfits and performances I captured here on Podil yesterday. One thing missing – behind this excitement it’s really hard to figure out what the hell they advertise. It’s almost like the marketers make it a forbidden fruit and make us chase down the characters to ask the question. Aha, right, I am here just for the free entertainment!