🇪🇺 European Parliament
🇺🇦 Mission of Ukraine to the European Union
Mission of Ukraine to the European Union
To whom it may concern
The Mission of Ukraine to the European Union has the honour to bring to the attention of concerned institutions and individuals the project of Yona Tukuser “Hunger”.
The project “Hunger” focuses on one of the most painful chapters in Ukrainian history – the Holodomor, an artificial famine engineered by the Soviet authorities in 1932–1933 which was recognized as genocide by dozens of states and international organizations, including the European Parliament.
Yona Tukuser’s artistic project is the result of in-depth research and is based on archival materials documenting artificial famines that have struck Ukraine at various points in the 20th century. The project serves as a poignant reminder of the consequences of using hunger as a political tool. Yona Tukuser’s work encourages reflection on the historical use of hunger by totalitarian regimes and underscores the importance of international solidarity in opposing such practices.
The exhibition “Hunger” was co-organized by the Mission of Ukraine to the EU and took place at the European Parliament on 23–26 January 2024, marking the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor tragedy. EU member states, the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria to the EU, and the U.S. Mission to the EU supported the event. The exhibition was attended by the President of the European Parliament, distinguished Parliament members, and representatives from European institutions and media.
The project “Hunger” has the power to foster compassion, humanism, and collective support in defence of justice and solidarity. These are the values that our societies need at a time when Europe and the world are facing complex challenges.
Sincerely,
Vsevolod Chentsov
Ambassador, Head of the Mission
🇧🇬 Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria
REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
MINISTRY OF CULTURE
Sofia, 17 Aleksandar Stamboliyski Boulevard
TO THE ATTENTION OF:
MRS. YONA TUKUSER
LETTER OF SUPPORT
The Ministry of Culture is issuing the present letter to support the touring exhibition organized by Mrs. Yona Tukuser.
Mrs. Tukuser’s project titled “Hunger” is an artistic and scientific work which includes: a documentary film, text in the form of quotes from documents, archive photos, sound compositions and paintings. It has been successfully presented at the National Gallery "Kvadrat 500" in 2022.
The project is of cultural and educational value and provides the opportunity for debate.
The initiative promotes contemporary art and is worth supporting.
Respectfully Yours,
KRASTYU KRASTEV
Minister of Culture – Republic of Bulgaria
08.09.2023
🇧🇬 Embassy of Bulgaria to the Holy See
Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria
to the Holy See and the Sovereign Order of Malta
LETTER OF SUPPORT
This letter certifies that the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Holy See /Vatican City/ morally supports the scientific-artistic project entitled "HUNGER" by the Bulgarian-Ukrainian artist Yona Tukuser.
The project "HUNGER" analyzes the theme of the Holodomor in Ukraine and presents the historical context in which the contemporary war in Europe breaks out, while also encouraging the search for innovative solutions to today’s challenges. In this way, art acts as a catalyst for change and development, helping to address current challenges.
We are convinced that art is an important tool for Ukraine, as a reliable partner on the front line in safeguarding democratic values within the European space. This becomes especially relevant in the context of increasing hybrid threats aimed at the modern European state, with its ancient history, culture, and art.
We believe that culture is both a vital tool and a sought-after channel for public diplomacy, shaping the positive spiritual image of peoples and defending peace.
The Embassy invites state institutions, private organizations, academic circles, and all others who could contribute to the success of the initiative to support it.
Kostadin Kodzhabashev
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Holy See
and the Sovereign Order of Malta
15 April 2024
Via P. Galtelli, 36 – 00197 Rome
🇧🇬 Embassy of Bulgaria in London
The Bulgarian Embassy
London, 24/08/2022
LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION
To whom it may concern
The Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in London has the honour to bring to the attention of concerned institutions and individuals a series of paintings by the Ukrainian-born Bulgarian artist Ms Yona Tukuser. Her works depict with an uncompromising intensity the utter moral degradation and physical annihilation caused by the politically induced famine in the years 1946–1947 in Bessarabia, a part of the then Soviet Union, predominantly inhabited by ethnic Bulgarians.
The paintings of Ms Tukuser explore the depravities of human nature on many levels, but currently reverberate on a yet wider scale, when taking into account the recent developments in Ukraine, the related widespread human suffering and the imminent threat of food shortages and famine in large parts of the world.
It is for these very reasons that the Bulgarian Embassy in London gives its unequivocal support and highly recommends any arrangements that will showcase Ms Tukuser’s work to wider audiences, so that the relatively unknown tragic events of the past may serve as a warning to generations to come.
Marin RAYKOV
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the
United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland
🇺🇸 Nu Boyana Film Studios
Hereby the Nu Boyana Film Studios expresses its moral and professional support for the development of interdisciplinary project "Hunger" of artist Yona Tukuser.
Nu Boyana Film Studios which is owned by one of the longest-running independent film companies in Hollywood, Nu Image and Millennium Media, provides for free use a studio in which to continue work on the project "Hunger".
Confident in the potential of such a interdisciplinary project as well as in its future development, the Nu Boyana Film Studios support the initiative of presenting the "Hunger" to the public in the form of an art exhibition with some of the paintings created in the studio in Nu Boyana.
Nu Boyana Film Studios
Kumata Str., Cinema Center, Sofia 1616, Bulgaria
www.nuboyana.com
