"From Wales to Ukraine: The Hughesovka Story"

Abstract

A research exhibition of archival documents, letters, and photographs from the Hughesovka Research Archive, Glamorgan Archives, Cardiff, Ukrainian archives and repositories, that was co-produced and co-curated with Stefhan Caddick. “From Wales to Ukraine: The Hughesovka Story” emerged from archival and bibliographical work carried out by Victoria Donovan in the UK and Ukraine between 2016 and 2017 and examined the processes of cultural flow and exchange between the UK and the Russian Empire at the end of the nineteenth century, with a particular focus on Welsh labour migration to Ukraine. The exhibition was displayed at RedHouse in Merthyr Tydfil (June 2017) as part of a one-day arts festival "Enthusiasm" coordinated by Donovan and Caddick; the Ukrainian Community Centre in Edinburgh (May 2018); RedHills: Durham Miners Hall in Durham (May 2019); IZOLYATSIA: Platform for Cultural Initiatives in Kyiv (June, 2019); Plus/Minus Art Residency in Sieverodonetsk (July 2019); and Top Place in Sloviansk (September 2019). Donovan and Caddick delivered contextualizing lectures at all exhibition openings apart from in Sloviansk where a lecture was delivered by Ukrainian project partner Volodymyr Kulikov.