ArtKolo is an on-line exhibition of old postcards from collection of Valery Kovtun. ArtKolo is frequently updated, please sign up for updates.

ArtKolo covers various aspects of life in Galicia (Western Ukraine) under Austrian rule (until 1918) and interwar Polish Republic (1920-1939). Particularly, the exhibition is focused on South – Eastern part of Galicia, namely Hutsulshchyna and Pokuttya areas. You can find here vintage postcards on the following topics:

• Kolomyya (Kolomea, Kolomyja): prominent buildings and streets, scenes from daily life
• Towns and villages: Kosiv (Kosow), Horodenka, Jaremcze, Kuty, Sniatyn, Kosmach (Kosmacz), Verkhovyna (Zabie) and many more
• Landscapes, rivers and Carpathian mountains
• Social life of Galicia:
  • Ukrainian culture, education and social movements
  • Peasants and Hutsuls in everyday life and festive occasions
  • Polish, Jewish and German communities
  • World War I, Ukrainian Sich Riflemen and Army of Western Ukrainian People’s Republic
  • Paintings by Ukrainian and Polish artists of Galician origins

Valery Kovtun has published several books, featuring old postcards from his collection as well as those of other Ukrainian collectors. As of today, there are seven large albums with postcards, accompanied by local history research articles:

1. Art of Jaroslaw Pstrak in postcards (2003)
2. Ukraine in postcards published by Jakiv Orenstein (2004)
3. Kolomyya in their hearts: artists’ works (2005)
4. Kolomyya from past till present (2005)
5. Ukrainian Sich Riflemen – knights of the native land (2007)
6. Hutsulshchyna – jewel of Ukrainian Carpathians (2009)
7. Taras Shevchenko and Prykarpattya (2012)

This publishing activity is a non-profit project of Valery Kovtun, funded by donations from hundreds of individuals and small businesses. You can learn more about book publishing projects on this Ukrainian-language page.

ArtKolo is a Ukrainian language website, but if you have any particular request, we are happy to answer in English or even a few words in Polish.