In Support of Glass Art in Ukraine
Rago is honored to present Unbreakable Ukraine, a selection of contemporary glasswork from Ukrainian artists. This collection was organized by Jeff Hillam, who visited Lviv in September of 2022, and aims to bring awareness and support to the hot shop at the Glass Museum in Lviv shared by the Lviv National Academy of Arts.
All proceeds will support the hot shop and the artists in their efforts to thrive and create in spite of war.
"Though Lviv was safe at the time of our visit, the signs of wartime preparation were everywhere. Blockade equipment littered the roadways, ready to be used at a moment's notice. We encountered military checkpoints and public displays of national solidarity along the way. Old churches had metal sheets installed over their stained glass windows to ensure that bombings would not shatter their beauty. Statues were covered and shielded with canvas and rope, to protect the city's cultural heritage. But what stood out brightly in contrast to the darkness of these visuals, was the steadfast Ukrainian determination to maintain normalcy, optimism and hope."
Jeff Hillam
Learn more about the Glass Museum in Lviv and the Lviv National Academy of Arts.
Born in the Lviv region of Ukraine, Elina Bilous earned a MA (2012, Glass Art Department) and a PhD (2015) at the Lviv National Academy of Arts. She has been part of the Gaude Polonia Scholarship Program (2014, Poland) and a finalist of the Stanislaw Libensky Award (2015, Czech Republic) and Yicca Art Prize (2022). Among key points of the artist's creative work is a reflection on the topic of the Creator and the human ability to perceive the beauty of the world. From the very beginning of her career, Elina Bilous has chosen the path of experimentation, and she masterfully utilizes her knowledge, techniques, and new methods in her work.