A theme exhibition “Traditions and innovations in decorative and applied art of Kirovohrad region” dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the Regional Award in the sphere of architecture, heraldry and vexillology and decorative and applied art named after Yakiv Pauchenko and organized to 152nd anniversary of the architect Ya.V.Pauchenko.
     More than twenty works of the artists – laureates of the Regional Award in the sphere of architecture, heraldry and vexillology and decorative and applied art named after Yakiv Pauchenko in the nomination “decorative and applied art” of 2003-2017 from the museum collection “Modern Ukrainian fine art” are shown in the exposition. Among the works of Merited Artist of Ukraine Nelia Firsova, Merited Master of Folk Art of Ukraine Oleksandra Prenko, members of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine Mariia Tserna, Yurii Honcharenko, Olha Kolomiiets, Larysa Kulinich, Mykola, Serhii and Oleksandr Firsov, and also members of the National Union of Masters of Folk Art of Ukraine Larysa Harbuzenko and Valentyna Dobrovolska, which are made in different techniques: ceramics, batik, ornamental sewing, vytynanka, carpet weaving, embroidery and author’s, that brightly reflect the creative work of the artists. Personal exhibitions of the majority of the artists were shown in the museum, demonstrating the diversity of ways of the development of decorative and applied art of our steppe region.
    The community of professional masters of decorative and applied art of Kirovohrad region has been forming since the beginning of the 1970s together with the expansion of the activity of Art and industrial workshops of Art fund of Ukrainian SSR (since 1990s the National Union of Artists of Ukraine). Each artist – laureate of the award is carrier of a tradition or other art school: the Firsov family, Merited Artist of Ukraine Emiliia Rudenko and Anatolii Punhin represent Odesa school, Merited Artist of Ukraine Nataliia Fedorenko – Lviv school, Mariia Tserna – Zakarpattia school, Yurii Honcharenko – Dnipropetrovsk school. But in a result of a creative mutual enrichment special creative traits were formed in a new artistic environment, they became a demonstration of a uniqueness of the local flair.
    The uprise of the branch of the National Union of Masters of Folk Art of Ukraine gave new energy to decorative and applied art as a form of fine art. Merited Master of Folk Art of Ukraine Oleksandra Prenko and also Larysa Harbuzenko and Valentyna Dobrovolska made their art searches relying upon the local traditions of folk art. In the 2000s, masters Olha Kolomiiets and Larysa Kulinich made a statement by active exhibiting activity, manifesting their own unique art manner.
    All the artists, who are professionally involved in decorative and applied art despite the genre are united by the urge to revive the ancient traditions of techniques and artistic language and at the same time the search of ways to unite the conventional folk tradition with new forms of expression.