Rushnyky: Sacred Ukrainian Textiles (Glencairn)
Exhibition 5 Apr – 9 Nov 2025 on rushnyky in birth, wedding and funeral rites, the tree of life motif, convent-made pieces.
What the sources say
The exhibition "Rushnyky: Sacred Ukrainian Textiles" runs from April 5 to November 9, 2025, at the Glencairn Museum in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania. Curated by Hamilton College Professor Emeritus Franklin Sciacca, it originated as a traveling exhibition from the Icon Museum and Study Center. The display features pieces from Sciacca’s personal collection alongside materials loaned by the local Ukrainian community.
These unseamed white cloths feature woven or embroidered motifs at both ends. They are draped over religious icons, family photographs, and cemetery crosses to offer protection. The exhibition explores their use in birth, courtship, and funeral rituals. It highlights the Tree of Life motif, convent-made pieces, patriotic scarves, and the historical process of weaving linen from flax.
The largest textile on display is the Rushnyk of Hope, which measures 14 feet long. Members of the local Ukrainian community attended the exhibition's opening event on April 5. During the installation, the textiles received professional care from Annina King, and the display was adapted by a team at Glencairn.
- Type
- Exhibition
- Where
- United States — Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania
- Year
- 2025
- Organizer
- Glencairn Museum; curator Franklin Sciacca; loans from the Icon Museum and local Ukrainians
- How far we checked
- Source readWe opened and read the source page.
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Related entries
- Exhibition · 2018Rushnyk: Sacred Ukrainian Textiles (Icon Museum)
- Memory project · 2025Rushnyk of Hope
- Memory project · 2023Embroidered with Pain
- Museum collectionThe Ukrainian Museum (New York)