A huge thank you to Ukrainians in Faringdon and across Oxfordshire for organising the amazing second Mavka Festival on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th May.
Two days of celebration of Ukrainian culture, thanking the local community for their support and raising funds for the Odesa Children’s Hospital which has been badly damaged in bombing of the port town.
On Saturday we heard from five great speakers on “Ukrainian Resistance and Women’s Power”. From feminist literature to trade between Ukraine and the UK, mental health & wellbeing and the strength of Ukrainian women during the war. A great range of presentations and discussion.
On Sunday the Corn Exchange was full of food and crafts, with musicians, dancing, singing and a performance of “Forest Song”. Our Rotakids had lots of fun running a few games and craft activities in the Corn Exchange and they were keen to support the hospital fundraising efforts.
Our club was delighted to provide some financial support for the beautiful “Circle of Voices” art installation at the Folly. As described by the artists:
“This land art installation is a temporary sculptural composition created deep within the forest, shaped entirely by natural light, space, and simple materials—wooden sticks and wire. Inspired by the principles of 1960s Ukrainian Constructivism, the work merges the rawness of nature with a precise, graphic aesthetic.”
Rooted in the Ukrainian cultural avant-garde and adapted through the lens of contemporary ecological art, this installation serves as a quiet act of resistance and a celebration of our ongoing relationship with place, memory, and material.”
The circle hangs very close to the Mavka statue and the story telling chair, adding to the magic of the Folly. Definitely worth a visit.
Photo credits:
Cover photo and photos 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 – Michael High-Duck https://www.instagram.com/michael_picture_/
Photos 4, 9, 10 – Karen Eveleigh