Announcement exhibition– research “Foreign investment in Ukraine at the end of XIX century – beginning of XX century. Part one: Belgium”

“Ukraine – Belgium: history of relations. End of XIX century – beginning of XX century.”

The exhibition opens on March 10 at 16.30 with a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center (2 Khreshatyk, European House). The exhibition is based on the research of documents on foreign investment in Ukraine at the end of XIX century – beginning of XX century. After the press briefing author of the research Valentyna Lazebnyk will conduct a guided tour through the exposition.

The exhibition presents a research based on documents on foreign investment in Ukraine at the end of the XIX century – beginning of the XX century. It ruins the myth on Soviet industrialization of central, eastern and southern Ukraine. The project emphasizes European context in the history of region’s development that is under-researched and not well-known these days. Mining and metallurgy of Ukraine’s Prydniprovsky (the area around Dnipro) and Donetsk area developed with the help of business capital and the experience borrowed from England, France, Germany and Switzerland. Belgian business capital was of particular importance; therefore Ukraine’s Prydniprovsky-and-Donetsk area was called “Ukrainian Belgium”. Almost 250 historical documents and photographs dating back to those times are represented at the exhibition. They recreate this period important for development of Ukrainian regions in a vivid and convincing manner.

The exhibition displays shares and bonds of Belgian stock companies that operated in the governorate (so called “gubernia”) at that time and the accurate evidence of those events. The exhibition also presents photos collages of Belgian and Ukrainian enterprises, managers and founders of factories, quarries and mines. The photos capture giant metallurgic plants with blast furnaces, quarries, mines, products of factories and surely the photos of workers including metallurgists and miners. Among the exhibits are also unique photos of “Malorosy” amateur theatre of workers of Petrovsky factory (in Yenakiyeve), the wind orchestra of the Donetsk glass factory, Orthodox and Catholic churches, theatres, parks and libraries constructed at the cost of factory owners.

The project is implemented with the support of Dnipropetrovsk patron of arts Dmytro Pirkl who was buying historic documents in Europe in 2011-2015. Materials that he managed to collect were passed to the Dmytro Yavornytskyi Dnipropetrovsk national historic museum. Museum director Nadiya Kapustina took the initiative to study and analyze the documents. Valentyna Lazebnyk, head of museum’s scientific, research and exposition department of Ukraine’s history in XIV century – beginning of XX century, studied the materials and formed the exposition. Designer Yuriy Malenko visually arranged the materials into the exhibition.

Program of the exhibition opening includes:

16.30 – press briefing at the press center

Participants:

H.E. Luc Jacobs, Ambassador of Belgium to Ukraine

Leonid Marushchak, curator of the artistic direction at Ukraine Crisis Media Center;

Nadiya Kapustina, Director of Dmytro Yavornytskyi Dnipropetrovsk national historic museum

Valentyna Lazebnyk, author of the exhibition, head of museum’s scientific, research and exposition department of Ukraine’s history in XIV century – beginning of XX century

Dmytro Pirkl, patron of arts, founder of the collection

17.00 – exhibition tour by Valentyna Lazebnyk at the media lounge

The exhibition is open to public at the media lounge of Ukraine Crisis Media Center (2 Khreshatyk, European House) through March 10-27, 2016.

Working hours: 10.00 – 18.00, daily.

For additional information please contact Olha Honchar: +38 093 339 76 46, [email protected]