Honoring the artist in Paris: presentation of the issue of the magazine "Antykvar", dedicated to Olga Rapai-Marquish
On November 15, 2023, the Ukrainian Cultural Center in France (Centre Culturel d’Ukraine en France) hosted a landmark event for connoisseurs of Ukrainian art - the first presentation in the European cultural space of the 130th issue of the magazine "Antykvar", dedicated entirely to the life and work of the outstanding ceramist Olga Rapai-Marquish.
This issue was the first in-depth and large-scale printed publication focusing on the unique legacy of Rapai, an artist who combined delicacy and strength, myth and everyday life, folklore and modernism in her work. Her ceramic panels, sculptures, decorative compositions that adorn the streets of Kyiv, theaters, and public interiors have become an integral part of the city's visual code, although her name remained out of the public eye for a long time.
The presentation took place in a warm, intimate atmosphere, bringing together representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora, French cultural circles, art historians, and fans of Ukrainian ceramics. The main event of the evening was a conversation about the role of Olga Rapai in the formation of modern Ukrainian artistic identity, as well as how her works resonate with the European tradition of monumental and decorative art.
The editorial board of the magazine emphasized the importance of representing Ukrainian artists in the European space, especially when the issues of cultural memory, continuity and preservation of artistic heritage are particularly acute.
This issue of Antykvar became not only a gesture of recognition of Olga Rapai's work, but also part of a broader initiative to popularize Ukrainian decorative art in the world. The publication contains unique archival photographs, analytical articles, reproductions of works and materials about her life, which was closely intertwined with the history of Ukraine in the 20th century.
At the end of the evening, a lively discussion took place about institutional memory and the role of women artists in the cultural canon, moderated by the editor-in-chief of the publication, Anna Sherman.
The presentation in Paris became an important international step in returning the name of Olga Rapai-Marquish to the public space - not only Ukrainian, but also European.
