Testament • Zapovit
Ihor Rodion Dmytruk

June 21 - October 27, 2026

Testament – Zapovit is the first retrospective of Ihor Rodion Dmytruk (1938–2021), a Ukrainian Canadian artist whose work reflects cultural memory, resilience, and a lifelong connection to Ukraine. Born in pre-war Ukraine and raised in Canada, Dmytruk built a distinguished career in Alberta as both an artist and influential teacher. His life — spanning wartime upheaval, immigration, Ukraine’s independence in 1991, and his passing just months before the 2022 full-scale invasion — traces the arc of a turbulent century in Ukrainian history, which he incorporated poignantly into his work.

The title of this exhibition draws from the iconic poem, Testament (Zapovit), by Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko. Like Shevchenko, Dmytruk held a deep love for Ukraine and a strong belief in its cultural and national survival. He was also a collector of Ukrainian folk art, surrounding himself with ceramics, wood carvings, textiles, patriotic symbols, and other objects that connected him to his ancestral homeland.

This exhibition presents Dmytruk’s work alongside objects from the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Ontario Branch collection, representing the kinds of Ukrainian material culture that shaped his enduring connection to homeland, ancestry, and Ukrainian identity.

Testament – Zapovit invites visitors to consider art not only as personal expression, but also as a living bridge between homeland, identity, and community.

Organized by the Ukrainian Museum of Canada (National), Testament – Zapovit premiered in 2024 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and is presented in Toronto by the Ukrainian Museum of Canada – Ontario Branch.

SPONSORS: