“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.

The Ukrainian House – 1, Khreschatyk, Evropeiska ploshcha

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.

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.

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)

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)