Cross-Cultural Resonance: New Vermonters Respond to Ukrainian Folk Art

The exhibition, Contemporary Ukrainian Folk Art: The Matrix of Resilience, stirred our curiosity about the folk art traditions of Brattleboro’s refugee and immigrant community. We set out to explore any common themes, techniques, or designs that appear in traditional art forms around the world, through the stories and experiences of New Vermonters. In partnership with the School for International Training (SIT) and Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC), we interviewed New Vermonters about the art in this exhibit and connections with folk art from their home countries.

At SIT we met with refugee English language learners who had recently arrived in America. At ECDC’s Multicultural Community Center, we spoke with New Vermonters who are more established in our community. Both groups viewed images of art in this exhibit, and shared connections they noticed between the Ukrainian folk art and art from their home countries. The recordings of their responses are available as an audio companion to the exhibit.

We hope you will enjoy learning about the surprising connections between folk art traditions around the world through the voices of Vermont’s newest community members, just as we did.

This project was made possible with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The interviews were edited into clips, and organized by subject corresponding with the art and themes in the exhibit. 

Fiber Art

Samuel, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda
Negina, Afghanistan 
Bezhan, Afghanistan
Bamuyaya, Democratic Republic of Congo – Click here and here for additional context for art references in this interview. Towns mentioned: Mweka and Ilebo. Tribes mentioned: Kuba and Shilele.
Francois, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi
Zuhal, Afghanistan
Ronald, South Sudan & Uganda
Aguer, South Sudan & Kenya
Batunga, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa
Gulsum, Afghanistan

Carving

Ronald, South Sudan & Uganda
Francois, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi
Negina, Afghanistan – Eggs

Painting

Bezhan, Afghanistan 
Francois, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi
Samuel, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda
Negina, Afghanistan – Click here for additional context for references in this interview.

Current Art Practices

Francois, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi – Silk Printing
Samuel, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda – Music
Negina, Afghanistan – Personal Art & ArtLords
Batunga, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa – Fashion Design – Click here for additional context for references in this interview.

Coming to America

Ronald, South Sudan & Uganda – Beads
Bezhan, Afghanistan – Picture, Book, Dish
Bamuyaya, Democratic Republic of Congo – Coming to America
Samuel, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda –Art in Brattleboro
Negina, Afghanistan – Art as Connection