Sergei Parajanov was a director of films during the Soviet era, and was seemingly dedicated to preserving the traditions of folk art through the central Asian republics of that country. This work, the audio track of which IMDb claims is in Ukrainian but my mother tells me is actually in Russian, works its way through the broad spectrum of artistic expression in the Ukraine. Of particular interest is Parajanov's use of lighting: most times the art work is shown against a darkened background, lit only from the front and casting a shadow behind it while it is rotated past the camera. Starting and spending a lot of time on pottery, I learned that the Slavic surname 'Gonchar' actually means 'potter'. The variety of different pieces shown is truly outstanding. Of particular interest is the folk tale told by an old man to semi-scared youngsters, illustrated by the creations of a potter who moulded, painted and fired several of the hideous characters from the Hansel and Gretel-like story. Then, glassblowing, wood carving, kilim (tapestry or rug) making, landscape painting and finally embroidery are all presented with amazingly intricate designs and highly skilled craftsmanship. A definite communist slant is shown, both in the opposition to the ruling bureaucrats of pre-1917 times and in the epitome of socialist realism portrayed in the final mural. One wonders how much of this collective state-sponsored art survives into present times, with political unrest and Russian incursions affecting the current day situation in Ukraine.
