Civil blockade continues, but the creative work brooks no stagnation

More than four months ago the King of Marble Nikolai Shmatko, his family and the unique collection of marble sculptures appeared in the basement of school of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitskiy town. The premise of the basement was a temporary shelter for 135 sculptures and 300 paintings that were partially open for the visits of occasional spectators and partially hidden in boxes in which they had been transported. The concrete floor and walls, concrete ceiling, dampness and lack of heating system does not contribute to the proper conservation of the works of art that belong to Shmatko, and at the same time, in his opinion, they are the legacy of Ukraine and humanity.

Involuntarily the gallery does not carry out its mission and it denies the opportunity to give a minute of happiness to connoisseurs of art.The rare visitors have the whole variety of feelings – enjoyment, appeasement from the observed works and at the same time – the indignation over the fact that such talent is ruined in our country. It is known that despite many appeals to civil servants of different levels of the government of Ukraine, the unique collection and the famous sculptor with his creative works are in the "Ukrainian blockade".

But in spite of the difficulties caused to Nikolai Shmatko and his exhaustible fight with civil servants he continues to work in defiance of horrible conditions. "Now here in basement I am creating the sculpture of Mikhail Sikorskiy, – the sculptor says. – He is the creator and longstanding director of the museums complex in Pereyaslav-Khmelnitskiy. This person dedicated all his live to museology and this fact was the reason of my profound respect. I am preparing this sculpture for the day of the town".

We remind that the ex-Minister of Emergency Situations Viktor Baloga invited the King of Marble Nikolai Shmatko to Zakarpatye and deceived him. He did not fulfill his promises and set precedent for the departure from Zakarpatye.

Pereyaslav-Khmelnitskiy, 02.09.2013 (photos of Rafael Shmatko)