International Congress
The Female Artist as an Icon of National Modernization: The Phenomenon of Lesia Ukrainka in a Comparative Perspective (in Commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Birth of the Writer)

Association of Hispanists of Ukraine
Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain in Ukraine
National University “Kyiv Mohyla Academy”
Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University
Non-governmental Organization “New Academic Community of Ukraine”

Kyiv, October 13–16, 2021

February 25, 2021 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Lesia Ukrainka (Larysa Kosach, 1871-1913), a founding representative of the Ukrainian cultural canon. Her contribution to the national modernization of Ukrainian culture was extraordinary—as a poet and playwright of genius Lesia Ukrainka became symbolic of creative freedom and a modern world outlook in Ukrainian literature and culture. The main objective of the congress is to address the phenomenon of this remarkable writer in a comparative international context. The organizing committee of the congress considers the literatures and cultures of the Hispanic world as its primary area of interest because in both Spain and Latin America, as in Ukraine, patriarchal model of culture has firm roots and constitute great challenges to female freedom. At the same time, the focus of the congress has a wider global dimension, with its concentration on literature created in English, French, and other languages.

The congress will focus on the following areas:
1. The characterization of women in Lesia Ukrainka´s works.
2. The phenomenon of Lesia Ukrainka through typologies of women in literature and other arts.
3. The representation of female creativity in the works of Lesia Ukrainka and in Ukrainian, Hispanic, and world literature.
4. Lesia Ukrainka and women’s writing as a theoretical literary issue in feminist battles for the canon.
5. Lesia Ukrainka and other female artists in popular iconography (visual imagery, monumentalization, advertising, etc.).
6. Representations of the female artist in cinema and other audio-visual arts.
7. A gender approach to Lesia Ukrainks’s The Stone Host and interpretations of the Don Juan myth in modern and postmodern literature, film, and theatre.
8. Lesia Ukrainka’s modern culture building in an international context: the feminist perspective, translations, the European modern drama.
9. The re-interpretation of religious discourse in Lesia Ukrainka’s works in the spiritual context of the 20th century.
10. Lesia Ukrainka’s works in postcolonial interpretations.

Congress working languages: English and Spanish

Congress will be held on October 13-16, 2021 (sessions: October 13-15, visit to Kaniv: October 16) at the National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Aademy” in Kyiv, Ukraine Final date for registration of papers: April 26, 2021 (please include a 250-300 word abstract along with 5 keywords and information about yourself (affiliation, email). The email address for sending registration forms is internationalcongress021@gmail.com. 50 euro registration fee includes copy of congress proceedings, coffee, trip to Kaniv.

Organising Committee: Vira Aheieva, Marta Bohachevsky, Olha Poliukhovych, Oleksandr Pronkevych, Maria Shuvalova, Maksym Strikha, Maryna Tkachuk, Roman Veretelnyk.

Keynote Speakers: Vira Aheieva, Marta Bohachevsky, Ruth Fine, Tamara Hundorova, Assunta Polizzi, Oleksandr Pronkevych, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Roman Veretelnyk, Oksana Zabuzhko