With paints about pain and hope: Holodomor in the Works of Artist Vira Barynova-Kuleba

This year, Vira Barynova-Kuleba’s artwork has been nominated for the Shevchenko Prize, one of the most prestigious artistic awards in the country. This recognition is yet another confirmation of her exceptional contribution to the development of Ukrainian art and the preservation of national themes, from historical tragedies to striking landscapes and portraits. Her work demonstrates a deep understanding of human nature, the Ukrainian world, and the macrocosm. She has become a symbol of an artist whose work appeals to the innermost recesses of the human soul.

Vira Barynova-Kuleba. Photo by Yulia Tkachuk from the website suspilne.media.

Vira Barynova-Kuleba was born in the Hadiach district to a family of farmers. Since childhood, Vira absorbed the harsh experiences of surviving in famine, which became an integral part of her personal history. Her grandparents died during the Holodomor of 1932-1933, unable to withstand the ordeal.“My grandparents hoped to find some food until the very end, but hunger became stronger than human endurance,” the artist recalled. The forced eviction from the family farm Melnykove-Kulebyne in the mid-1930s, along with the forced labour on the collective farm, deeply shocked the family. “What pain for those who, after the famine of 1932–1933, moved to no less sorrow – collective farms!” – this is how the artist later conveyed her parents’ experiences. These tragedies became a source of inspiration for the artist’s work, giving it a specific emotional depth.

Vira’s childhood was defined by the famine of 1946–1947, which she recalled as one of the most challenging periods of her life.“I remember the famine as a powerful tragedy that taught me to fight, survive, and not give up,” she said in an interview. This experience left an indelible mark on her life and work, inspiring her to seek answers through art.

Vira Barynova-Kuleba. Son, this is your Land. 2006. From the collection of the Holodomor Museum.

Vira Barynova-Kuleba studied at prestigious art institutions in Kharkiv and Kyiv, where she received an academic education that helped her become a professor and academician, even though her path to education was not easy. Young Vira came to Kharkiv barefoot. Throughout her life, she passed on her knowledge to the younger generations of artists, inspiring them to create artworks that carry deep meaning and memory of historical events.

Vira Barynova-Kuleba’s paintings are a sensual testimony to the tragic fate of the Ukrainian people. Vira Barynova-Kuleba’s works are a sensual testimony to the tragic fate of the Ukrainian people. Her paintings on the Holodomor theme are striking in their depth, emotional power and ability to convey the pain of millions. In one of the interviews, the artist said that her soul ached for the peasants, “for those who had to starve to death in their native land, in the rye fields.” She created her first paintings on the theme of the Holodomor during the Soviet era. One of her most renowned works is a series dedicated to the Holodomor, which reflects the suffering of the people and, at the same time, their indomitable spirit. These works speak the universal language of art, making the memory of the Holodomor understandable to people around the world.

Vira Barynova-Kuleba. My God! What for? 2006–2007. From the collection of the Holodomor Museum.

The artist has also gained recognition outside of Ukraine. Vera Barynova-Kuleba’s artworks have been sold at Christie’s and Sotheby’s auctions and are in collections on several continents. A well-known collector and friend of Ukraine, Morgan Williams, president of the American-Ukrainian Business Council, purchased several of her paintings on the theme of the Holodomor. Today, the collector’s descendants donated them to the National Museum of the Holodomor Genocide. These works have become a valuable part of the museum’s collection and an integral part of the process of international recognition of the genocide of the Ukrainian people.

Vira Barynova-Kuleba’s artistic legacy serves as a guide for future generations, teaching them to value the memory of the past, draw strength from history, and fight for the truth. Her artwork is a profound reminder of the strength of the human spirit, capable of enduring even in the darkest times. Her paintings, such as those depicting scenes of hunger and suffering yet awakening hope, speak to the viewer in the universal language of art. They show that even the most painful tragedies can become a source of reflection, memory, and spiritual renewal. Vira Barynova-Kuleba’s artwork is a call to a deeper understanding of our past, a source of inspiration for living in difficult times and creating a better future.

Andrii IVANETS,

Senior Researcher, National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide

Source – newspaper “Ridny Kray”