Mikhailo Parashchuk

The Ukrainian sculptor Mikhailo Parashchuk, born on 16 November 1878 and died on 24 December 1963, was engaged in Bulgaria from 1921 until his death.

Parashchuk was born in Varvaryntsi, located in Ternopil Oblast, which was formerly part of Galicia province in Austria-Hungary and is now part of Ukraine.

He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, but completed his studies at the Julien Academy in Paris, France in 1910. It is estimated that he was a pupil of Auguste Rodin during his time in France. Prior to his graduation, Parashchuk undertook work in Lviv on the construction of monuments dedicated to renowned Ukrainian authors.

In his capacity as a lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts Munich, he had the opportunity to get exposure to several Bulgarian artists and actors. While serving in World War I, Parashchuk actively participated in the Red Cross and orchestrated an art course specifically designed for Russian Army prisoners of war.

Parashchuk arrived in Sofia in 1921 as a volunteer with the International Red Cross Organization. Within the Bulgarian capital, Parashchuk was a highly renowned sculptor who made significant contributions to the embellishment of several prominent public structures. The projects undertaken by Parashchuk encompassed the decorative frames of the gates of the Sofia Court House, the lion decorations and zodiac clock of the Bulgarian National Bank, history-related reliefs in the Rakovski Defence and Staff College, the facade decoration of the SS. Cyril and Methodius National Library, the interior of the Ministry of War, and the geometric decoration of the Sofia University rectorate.

In addition to the Giurgiu-Rousse Friendship Bridge, Parashchuk also designed the sculptural ornamentation of buildings at Pernik, Velingrad, Kardzhali, Varna, Provadia, and Sapareva Banya, all located outside the city. In addition to his work in building ornamentation, Parashchuk also specialized in creating architectural busts and bas-reliefs of renowned Bulgarian artists such as Peyo Yavorov, Gotse Delchev, Stefan Karadzha, Dimitar Blagoev, Hristo Botev, and Aleko Konstantinov.

Parašchuk undertook sculptural decorating projects for the central post office building and the tomb of the Polish-Hungarian monarch Władysław III Varnenczyk in Varna during the 1930s.

Notwithstanding his widespread appeal, Parashchuk faced two instances of expulsion from the Union of Bulgarian Artists throughout the 1940s and 1950s due to allegations of being a fascist, Western spy, or White Russian. Prior to World War II, he was defamed as a “Bolshevik agent” and “Comintern member”.

Not until 1963 did he get readmission to the union following his second expulsion. A prominent figure among the Ukrainian exiles in Bulgaria, Parashchuk played a key role in establishing the Ukrainian–Bulgarian Association and the Hromada Ukrainian cultural and educational groups.

• Museum Vladislav Varnenchik

• Wikipedia Entry