SASKATOON — The Ukrainian Museum of Canada's exhibition, Folk Imaginaries: Ukrainian Clothing as Memory and Imagination, has won the Silver Award of Excellence from Interpretation Canada. The citation will be presented at the IC’s 50th Anniversary Conference, held from Sept. 14-17 at the Fort Henry National Historic Site in Kingston, Ont.
Interpretation Canada is the national association representing the country's interpreters, heritage educators, museums, parks, zoos, aquariums, science centres, and cultural organizations. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in interpretive planning, exhibition design, and visitor experience, celebrating exhibitions that engage audiences through compelling storytelling and innovative interpretation.
In their evaluation, judges praised Folk Imaginaries for its powerful central theme, cohesive narrative, and thoughtful design, with one evaluator describing the exhibit as having a "strong and relevant" theme that "successfully situates Ukrainian material culture within both historical and contemporary global contexts." At the same time, another noted that its layered storytelling "consistently ties back to the central idea."
The exhibit was also recognized for revealing the deeper cultural significance of clothing. As one judge observed, "Each piece of clothing and every panel goes back to the idea that clothes go beyond being decorative and utilitarian." Another commented that the exhibition gave them "a deeper appreciation for Ukrainian culture, heritage, and fashion."
Curated by guest curator Natalka Chomiak, Folk Imaginaries explores Ukrainian dress not simply as clothing, but as a living record of identity, memory, creativity, and resilience. Bringing together historic garments, contemporary fashion, photography, and multimedia interpretation, the exhibition invites visitors to consider how clothing carries stories across generations while continuing to evolve today.
"This national recognition is a testament to the remarkable collaboration behind Folk Imaginaries. We are deeply grateful to Natalka Chomiak for her vision and scholarship, and to our talented staff, volunteers, and partners whose creativity brought this exhibition to life. We're honoured that Interpretation Canada has recognized the power of this work,” said Ukrainian Museum of Canada Executive Director and CEO Dr. Jen Budney.
Chomiak curated the exhibit with the assistance of Alexandra Shkandrij and Rachel Ormshaw, with the latter also leading the design with the help of Victoria Pomerleau and Lindsey Rewuski. Chomiak also wrote the texts, which Budney and Ormshaw edited.
Serhij Koroliuk provided Ukrainian translations. Clint Neufeld fabricated the custom display cases and plinths and served as lead preparator. Marta Krueger, Anastasiia Misan, and Jaydan Harrison assisted with installation.
The award-winning exhibit will run until Aug. 28.
