14th Festival of Smiths from Ukraine and Europe in Donetsk

This year Donetsk welcomed smiths from European cities and 11 Ukrainian for the 14th Festival of Smiths. In the Park of Forged Figures there were presented works of 50 professional smiths and of just as many artists of applied art – those, who work with stone, clay and wood, embroider, sew, and make motanka dolls and jewelry.

People came here both to enjoy time with their families and to work. Zhypetskys’ family came from Mykolaiv oblast. Volodymyr Zhypetsky together with his wife Natalia and their son Oleksii presented his works in Donetsk. “We took up forging as a family business just recently, it is only our second year. We have been together to the festival in Rivne region and now came to Donetsk. My husband has been working with metal since 2003. He tried to work in various fields, but forging really captured him. Perhaps, genes contributed to that because his grandfather was a blacksmith as well,” said Natalia Zhypetsky.

Young blacksmith from Donetsk Serhii Hryshchenko also participated in the festival. He represented historical and patriotic club “The Apostle” and Myrhorod youth organization “I Want to Live.” At the festival he coined souvenir coins. Among the unique coins designed by the club there are ones with the logos of Donetsk and Europe Soccer Championship on the reverse. The young blacksmith said that his coins are in demand. “I began forging only this summer when I met masters from Myrhorod here in Donetsk. I like it and got very interested in it. Participation in the festival is a great honor for me and I feel that it is very important because it is a high standard you have to meet. Our whole team is in Poltava oblast now, that is why I am here alone,” said the young man.

Every year the Park of Forged Figures receives new metal masterpieces. Now the visitors can come and see a crow that makes wishes come true. At the opening of the festival Oleksandr Lukianchenko, Mayor of Donetsk called the sculpture “the treasury of the city,” because for the crow to make a wish come true you have to put a coin in it. Besides, in the center of the Park of Forged Figures there will be installed a composition called European Bouquet, made of works of different blacksmiths from various countries. The central place of the composition will be taken by a figure of a blacksmith. The base for this figure will be made by blacksmiths from Dontesk and the frame will be formed with small pieces of forge art made by artists from all over the world.