SKARB EXHIBIT AT MILAN DESIGN WEEK 2024

Images courtesy of Victoria Yakusha Gallery (Photography credit: Lera Levanova)

Debut at Alcova Milano 2024 from April 15 to 21, 2024, at Villa Bagatti Valsecchi

What is treasure in the context of culture?

Not an abstract treasure, but a completely understandable material treasure – a legacy left to our contemporaries from our ancestors?

For modern Europe, cultural heritage is the basis of culture, the matrix of the world, and memory. The memory of who we are, where we came from, where we are going.

However, does the modern world know the true value of its treasures?

At the dawn of the 20th century, Ukraine’s lands cradled over 100,000 ancient mounds, remnants of bygone civilizations.

Among them thrived the ancestors of countless European peoples: the Trypillians, Scythians, Cimmerians, Sarmatians, Antes, and myriad others. Today, these mounds stand as silent witnesses to history, as well as horrid crimes as they remain under Russian fire control.

Once repositories of priceless treasures and cultural heritage, these sacred sites have become targets of destruction and plunder. Countless artifacts, once proudly displayed in museums across eastern and southern Ukraine, have been stolen, destroyed, or looted. This constitutes one of the largest art thefts in history. As shadows of the past fade into memory, the echoes of these lost civilizations — a poignant reminder of the fragility of heritage and the enduring struggle to preserve the treasures of the ages.

At the heart of the SKARB exhibition, all pieces unite to create a symphony of design and history, inviting visitors on a journey through time. From the ancient wonders of the Trypillian civilization to the heroic tales of the Ukrainian Cossacks, each artifact tells a story of triumph, resilience, and the enduring spirit of Ukraine that is engraved in every piece of heritage we have.

Presented by Melandas Indonesia

SKARB is dedicated to the material and immaterial treasures of heritage that Ukrainians protect with their lives.

The exposition centers around one of the world’s most famous Hun artifacts — a royal tiara inlaid with precious stones. This exquisite tiara is a symbol of the history of countless ethnic groups that inhabited the Ukrainian land. Regrettably, it was among the thousands of precious artifacts stolen from Ukraine, which are treasures not only for Ukraine but also for Europe and the world at large. Ukraine’s territory once boasted over 100,000 burial mounds dating back to ancient cultures, including the forebears of numerous modern European nations such as the Trypillians, Scythians, Cimmerians, Sarmatians, Antes, and countless others.

Today, most of these mounds, silent witnesses to the history of these cultures, are under the control of Russian forces, facing the threat of destruction.

Most of these mounds have been destroyed, looted, and stolen, along with precious treasures stored in museums in eastern and southern Ukraine. The occupiers have stolen tens of thousands of art objects in Ukraine, marking it as the largest art.

But is it possible to take away the real treasure?
Is it possible to destroy memory?
Is it possible to deprive people who know their roots of the right to be themselves?

Victoria Yakusha argues through the silhouettes of the Tiara Collection Vases Limited Edition, which meticulously mirrors the form of the “stolen” tiara, that while a treasure can be stolen, its essence remains indelible and cannot be fully taken away.

Made of Ukrainian clay, inlaid with unique polychrome topazes from Volyn with the world’s only blue-beige color, these vases speak with their warmth, and their absolute value to everyone who can feel it. Everyone knows what a real treasure is. Everyone who knows how to appreciate their own as well as someone else’s.

Step back in time to the ancient Trypillian civilization, where the enigmatic Trypillian Venus reigned as a symbol of femininity and fertility. Carved with care and adorned with intricate details, these figurines were revered by the Trypillian people, embodying the essence of life and abundance. In homage to the Trypillian Venus, the Domna Armchair emerges, echoing the curves and grace of its ancient muse. Crafted with precision and delicate touches, this chair is more than just furniture—it’s a celebration of feminine strength and timeless beauty. New fabrics were used to create the chair, representing once more the harmonious clash of modernity and history.

Enter the realm of the Ukrainian Cossacks, where tales of bravery and heroism echo through the ages. Inspired by their indomitable spirit, the Korotun Coffee Table takes shape, paying homage to the legendary gull boats that once navigated Ukraine’s rivers. With its sturdy frame and bold design, this table stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of the Cossack warriors. The glory of the strength and courage of the Ukrainian Cossacks lies in every Ukrainian.

I turned to the theme of treasure for a reason. A treasure is something that can be stolen but cannot be taken away.
A treasure is something that lives in the heart of everyone who remembers themselves.
A treasure is about something very dear to you, something that will always be yours, something that cannot be appropriated.
A treasure is something you can hide and pass on to future generations, speaking to them in a language they will understand in millennia to come. Thousands of ethnic groups have lived on our land, each of which has preserved and passed on something for us. By piling up their treasures in mounds, they preserved items that still have meaning today. Along with the tangible, they passed on the intangible, something that cannot be stolen or destroyed by fire, bombs, or missiles.
And today we see how these treasures are being revived and living their own lives. In science, technology, people, space, design.
In my new collection, I talk about this, I talk about what a real treasure is.
Our treasure is a wild field, the feeling of spicy herbs and salty wind on your lips.
Our treasure is ripe autumn apples from the tree your grandmother planted.
Our treasure is our freedom, which no one can ever take away.
Our treasure is dinner at the big table with our family.
Our treasure is our land.
Because we know who we are, we know where we come from, we know where we are going.
Our treasure is who we are, and who we feel we are.
Our treasure is what we are ready to fight. Our treasure cannot be taken away.
Like everything real. Like all living things.
Something bigger than death
—Victoria Yakusha—

SKARB
Alcova Milano 2024
Villa Bagatti Valsecchi
Via Vittorio Emanuele II, 48, 20814 Varedo MB, Italy