This is a project by Vasyl Chebanik aimed at restoring the image of the Ukrainian language.
Vasyl Chebanik is an outstanding Ukrainian graphic artist, calligrapher and professor who created our national font, Ruthenia. He is a laureate of the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine.
Since 2000, he has been working on ‘Graphics of the Ukrainian Language’.
A font is a visual representation of a language using symbols that plastically coincide with the peculiarities of the language's melody and, as an organic whole with the language, are nourished by the same roots from history.
People perceive the world around them primarily through sight and hearing. Speech is also perceived through sight and hearing.
The author drew attention to an important question: ‘What is wrong with our alphabet?’
"We have the Russian alphabet – that's a fact. It was created for the Russian language, and I will keep repeating this. I am not fighting against the Russian alphabet, but the Ukrainian language can be written in its own national script. The current script is mistakenly called Cyrillic. In fact, it is an alphabet introduced by Peter I in 1710," Mr. Vasyl told Radio Liberty journalists.
The Ruthenian script is based on the traditions of Rus and Cossack shorthand. The professor himself notes that Ruthenian is the true Ukrainian Cyrillic alphabet, which was used in Ukrainian lands until 1710.
The font was artificially eliminated during the reign of Peter I in favour of the ‘civil’ font. The author aims to bring the Ruthenian alphabet back into widespread use — on signs, in documents, and in official names. According to Vasyl Chebanik, each letter of the Ruthenian alphabet is imbued with deep symbolism, and its development will strengthen Ukrainian identity.
‘As an independent state, Ukraine must possess all symbols of statehood and, above all, a state language with a graphic alphabet corresponding to that language,’ Vasyl Chebanik.
Vasyl Chebanik's fonts are used by the National Academy of Arts of Ukraine, the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture, the Kyiv State Institute of Decorative and Applied Arts and Design named after Mykhailo Boychuk, the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, and others.
Rutenia shirt
The style of the shirt's ornamentation is based on the folk clothing of western Ukraine, featuring the letters ‘Rutenia,’ each of which has its own interpretation and history of creation by Vasyl Chebanik.
Straight, mid-length shirt with a round neckline fastened with buttons. Full semi-raglan sleeves, densely decorated with embroidery. The bottom of the sleeves is fastened with ties.
Fabric: linen, thread: cotton
Embroidery technique: satin stitch, author's technique