Photo: moemisto.ua

The "Strength of Fragility" project

The "Strength of Fragility" project is devoted to the preservation and restoration of ceramic works by Olga Rapai-Markish, an outstanding Ukrainian artist. It is implemented in cooperation with the National Museum of Ukrainian Folk Decorative Art and the Association of Art Critics, Experts, Appraisers and Restorers of Ukraine.

The project includes several key aspects:

Exhibitions:
The project envisages the holding of exhibitions where the restored ceramic panels of Olga Rapai are presented. The exhibition "Strength of Fragility" demonstrates the result of research and restoration work that lasted a whole year.

Lectures and master classes:
Within the framework of the project, lectures and master classes for children and adults on sculpting, embroidery and restoration are held. Creative meetings of professionals are also organized to discuss issues of preserving cultural heritage.

Support of cultural heritage:
The project is aimed at preserving and restoring the cultural heritage of Ukraine. It shows how important an initiative to preserve works of art and cultural values ​​can be, especially.

Restoration:
The project includes the process of research, restoration and conservation of damaged ceramic panels, which demonstrates the technical complexity and artistic simplicity of Olga Rapai's works.

The project aims not only to preserve Olga Rapai's work, but also to show the importance of supporting art and cultural heritage in difficult times.

Project's events

The Amazing World of Olga Rapai

The Amazing World of Olga Rapai

2025-03-21
On March 21–24, 2025, the exhibition “The Amazing World of Olga Rapai” was held at the Kyiv Palace of Children and Youth, where ceramic works by students of the “Artistic Ceramics” group were presented. 60 children recreated the style and theme of the famous Ukrainian sculptor-ceramicist in their works. The event was attended by art historians and museum professionals, including Lyudmila Strokova, who announced the establishment of the National Prize in the field of decorative arts. The exhibition emphasized the significance of Olga Rapai’s creative legacy and her influence on the younger generation of artists.
Presentation of Olga Rapai's work in France

Presentation of Olga Rapai's work in France

2023-11-15
On November 15, 2023, the Ukrainian Cultural Center in France hosted the presentation of the 130th issue of the magazine "Antykvar", dedicated entirely to the work of the outstanding Ukrainian ceramist Olga Rapai-Marquish. The event was not only a cultural gesture of tribute to the artist, but also an important stage in the presentation of Ukrainian decorative art on the European stage.
The World of Olga Rapai’s Imagery

The World of Olga Rapai’s Imagery

2023-08-23
In August 2023, the Ukrainian art magazine Antiquary released issue No. 130, a special edition entirely dedicated to the artistic universe of Olga Rapai-Markish — a remarkable Ukrainian ceramic artist whose work blends fairy-tale symbolism with sculptural depth. The issue is not only a tribute to the late artist but also a milestone in reintroducing her legacy into today’s cultural and artistic discourse.
Unveiling of a Memorial Plaque to Olha Rapai-Markish in Kyiv

Unveiling of a Memorial Plaque to Olha Rapai-Markish in Kyiv

2023-08-01
On August 1, 2023, Kyiv hosted the unveiling of a memorial plaque dedicated to the outstanding ceramist and sculptor Olha Rapai-Markish on the facade of the House of National Creative Associations of Ukraine. The event brought together art historians, colleagues, and family members of the artist, becoming a symbolic tribute to her enduring contribution to the city’s cultural landscape.
Stamp based on the works of Olga Rapai-Markish

Stamp based on the works of Olga Rapai-Markish

2023-08-01
On August 1, 2023, the presentation and special cancellation of thematic first-day envelopes and blocks of postage stamps created based on the ceramic panels of Olga Rapai-Markish took place at the Small Stage of the Lesya Ukrainka National Academic Drama Theater. It is symbolic that this theater - one of the centers of her creativity - became a place of honoring the artist at the national level.
Ambassador Marek Šafín

Rapai-Markish · Cultural Diplomacy

2023-07-24
In July 2023, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic to Ukraine, Marek Šafín, visited the exhibition of interior ceramics by Olga Rapai-Markish at the National Museum of Ukrainian Folk Decorative Art. This meeting once again demonstrated the deep cultural cooperation between Ukraine and Slovakia, noting common historical and artistic ties.
Exhibition “The Power of Roots”

Rapai-Markish · Exhibition “The Power of Roots”

2023-07-13
The National Museum of Ukrainian Folk Decorative Art hosted the exhibition “The Power of Roots” — the second act of a large-scale project dedicated to the return of the legacy of Olga Rapai-Markish. For more than two decades, these ceramic panels were considered lost, and now they appear before the audience in a new context — as a visual story about the depth of national memory and the power of artistic roots.
Exhibition “The Strength of Fragility”

Rapai-Markish · Exhibition “The Strength of Fragility”

2023-05-25
For the first time in many years, Kyiv residents and guests of the city have the opportunity to see unique ceramic panels by the legendary artist Olga Rapai-Markish, which were considered lost. Thanks to the large-scale project "The Strength of Fragility", the restored works of the artist, which once adorned the Bratislava Hotel, have once again appeared before the audience in the museum space.