Ukraine Pitches Unique Tole Painting for UNESCO Intangible Heritage

KYIV, Ukraine, January 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

The Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Vilkul presented a logo of petrykivskyi painting style - an original folk style developed at the end of 19^th - beginning of 20^th century in eastern Ukraine. In December 2013, Ukraine will present the tole painting technique Petrykivskyi Rozpys to the UNESCO commission, as the country aims to have the technique added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

http://wnu-ukraine.com/multimedia/photos/?id=1182

Petrykivsyi Rozpys is a painting style that relies on four types of strokes: a crest, a stone, a nut (these three were named after their shape), and a transitional stroke, which combines two colors swiftly transitioning one into the other. The technique envisions applying a series of similar in shape and size strokes on a painting surface. The combination of strokes usually forms an image of a flower or an animal.

Ukraine placed a bid for the inclusion of the Petrykivskyi Rozpys painting technique into the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in March 2012. "The importance of intangible cultural heritage is not the cultural manifestation itself but rather the wealth of knowledge and skills that is transmitted through it from one generation to the next," states unesco.org. Some of the criteria for inclusion in the list are: the phenomenon should demonstrate human creative genius and excellent skill, be rooted in the local culture, be a means of affirming a community's identity and at risk of disappearing.

The newly unveiled logo will serve as a promotional tool for petrykivskyi painters in its area of origin - Petrykivka village, Dnipropetrovsk region. The logo will help to establish branding and geographical origin of petrykivskyi paintings. Additionally, the organizers plan to use the logo to promote tourism in the region.

The emblem is comprised of a blood red flower against snow white background accompanied with a black text saying Petrykivka. The author of the logo is Liudmyla Horbulia - she originally created the image for a kindergarten textbook, where the selection committee chose as the best representation of petrykivskyi painting style. So far, the souvenirs carrying the newly unveiled logo include a branded watch, a china set, a pen, and a notebook. Curiously, the producers of the logo even presented a bus, decorated with the signature red flowers.