On the cover of “Ukrainian Jewelry | Contemporary Jewelry and Art Jewelry from Ukraine” is a photo taken by Stepan Lisowski of Oberig Jewelry’s work.
New York—A new jewelry book showcasing the work of contemporary Ukrainian designers and studios has debuted.
“Ukrainian Jewelry | Contemporary Jewelry and Art Jewelry from Ukraine” is a book dedicated to 33 jewelers, designers, and artists who work with precious stones and metals, ceramic, and unconventional materials.
The nonprofit, founded by the book’s co-creator Olga Olekseno in 2022, champions Ukrainian jewelry artists by commissioning and presenting museum-level, non-commercial works through exhibitions, publications, and global platforms.
The Strong & Precious Art Foundation provided informational support for the book, which it said, positions Ukrainian jewelry within a broader international art and design discourse.
“This book reflects the rapid evolution of the field in response to the ongoing war. The Strong & Precious Foundation itself was born out of this reality, with a mission to support and amplify a new generation of creators. Today, we witness a powerful rise in expressions of national identity and the growing international recognition of Ukrainian jewelry,” said Olekseno.
Left is author Lucia Bondar and right is co-creator of the book and founder of the Strong & Precious Art Foundation Olga Oleksenko
Among the fine designers and studios featured are Dukachi, Guzema, Oberig, Alona Makukh Jewelry, Jewelry Lab, and Katrina Jewelry.
“They are united by a passion for their craft, a respect for tradition, and a distinctive visual style,” said Bondar.
The largest section of the 224-page book is dedicated to these artists.
It emphasizes the development of the industry after the beginning of the Ukrainian war as some brands were founded after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, during a period of profound upheaval and a reevaluation of values, said Bondar.
One being jeweler Anton Boyko who left jewelry making to serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“The war has significantly affected the jewelry sector in Ukraine: at its beginning, many creatives doubted whether jewelry would be in demand in such times. But once again, Ukrainians demonstrated their attraction to beauty and visual aesthetics despite everything,” said Bondar.
The book captures how adornment becomes both artistic language and cultural preservation.
Dukachi is one of the 33 jewelers, designers, and artists featured in the book.
After the fine jewelry section, the book spans creative fashion jewelry, ceramics, and experimental materials.
In her introduction to the book, Bondar notes that artists seen in the “Rethinking Materials” section are rethinking the familiar and experimenting with unusual materials, which include titanium, plastic, steel, wool, polymer clay, cellophane, and wood.
Ceramics are seen in their own section covering ceramic jewelry’s long history in Ukraine’s territories, it said.
The feature articles section includes works in both English and Ukrainian.
One discusses the use of precious stones form the Volyn deposit in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine. It is the most famous Ukrainian gem deposit whose extraction is carried out by Volyn Gems.
Written by Natalya Hermenau, the article includes the historical foundations, current state, and future prospects of Ukrainian gemstones.
The article by Yurii Melnychuk focuses on traditional folk jewelry that is common in Ukraine while Rostyslav Shmagalo highlights Ukrainian designer jewelry from the 20th and early 21st centuries.
Ukrainian Jewelry | Contemporary Jewelry and Art Jewelry from Ukraine was published by Creative Publishing in January.
Bondar is the founder of Creative Publishing, a Ukrainian publishing house. She has authored and co-authored 18 books dedicated to Ukraine’s creative culture through topics like interior design, art, contemporary photography, gastronomy, and illustration.
It retails for $57 and can be purchased on the Creative Publishing website.
