The Yuan Ru Art Center in Bellevue, Washington, hosted the final stage of the Korovai exhibition tour, "108 Human Perfections." The "108 Human Perfections" exhibition tour is a large-scale international project dedicated to Ukrainian children's art that has traveled through Europe and the United States. The six-hour festival brought together a large community eager to experience contemporary Ukrainian culture through the drawings of young artists.
This was reported by the Korovai art project on Facebook.
"It's hard to believe that these works were created by children," said visitors, impressed by the high level of technique and depth of the plots.
All 108 works, selected by a professional jury in Ukraine, were executed in the format of an artistic korovai image — a symbol of prosperity, soulfulness, and national identity.
The exhibition opened with the traditional welcome of guests with "bread and salt" and Ukrainian korovai. This was followed by morning meditation led by Victoria Roberts and featuring meditation master Julie Yuan-Zhu Xie as a special guest. Xie filled the space with the gentle energies of kindness and peace. Next was a tea ceremony with a discussion of the values reflected in the children's works. Guests were treated to traditional Ukrainian "Ivan tea."
After enjoying varenyky prepared specially by Alla Amerika, participants enjoyed viewing the works on a reflective tour led by a psychologist.
The exhibition of children's artwork concluded with an inspiring musical and vocal performance by Winds of Change, who took the audience on a musical journey through works by composers from around the world, including Ukrainian artists. A highlight of the event was the participation of Iryna Kovalenko, soloist of the band DakhaBrakha, who not only served as a jury member in Ukraine but also gifted the audience with a live performance of Ukrainian songs.
"This is not just an exhibition — it is a spiritual manifesto of a generation experiencing war yet retaining love, hope, and a vision of a bright future," the organizers emphasized.
Background
The Korovai project involves children aged 9 to 18, and it has become an international cultural initiative with plans for an exhibition tour in Europe, the United States, and Ukraine. The result is a catalog showcasing 108 selected works of new Ukrainian children's art. The organizers of the project are Lilia Zakharenko, the ideological inspirer; Taras Danyluk, a writer; Valery Kanya, an artist, sculptor, and mosaicist; and a member of the National Union of Designers of Ukraine.
"We believe that children are conduits of creative energy who paint with their hearts. From birth, they are imbued with the qualities and traditions of their family and intuitively feel their purpose. They combine the past and the future. They are the seeds from which a beautiful, fragrant korovai will grow," say the organizers.
Photo: Alla America, Lilia Zakharenko
Author: Inna Mikhno