Halyna Mazepa-Koval

( 1910-1994)

The Artist lived in Ukraine until 1923, as her father was the prime minister of the Ukrainian People’s Republic. Then the family had to leave Ukraine to avoid repression. She became famous in the 30s, her style is organically national and has absorbed the experience of world art. Her works were exhibited in Lviv, Rome, Berlin and Prague. Also at this time she illustrated children’s books. In 1945, her two sons and mother died in Prague, and in 1947 the artist emigrated to Venezuela. In Venezuela, the talent of the artist was fully revealed and many paintings that are closely related to Ukraine appeared. She also worked as an artist at the Bolivar Film studio, creating illustrations for cartoons. She won several prestigious awards: the UNESCO award for illustrating children’s books, the Minister of Culture’s award and the President’s gold medal for the relief painting of the Mother of God Intercession, which covers a boat «chaika» with Cossacks with a embroidered Ukrainian towel.