Bessarabian motifs in the creative heritage of Podolian photo artist Mykhailo Greim

Abstract

The article is devoted to the work of the outstanding photo artist, one of the first masters of photography in Podolia, Mykhailo Greim. The review of publications of Ukrainian and foreign authors about the artist’s activity is presented, the purpose of the article is defined. It is noted that the studies almost do not mention a whole selection of images dedicated to the Bessarabian lands, which were closely adjacent to the Ukrainian Podolia. The life path, the formation of Greim as a photographer, the scope of his professional interests are considered. The range of genre photographic compositions of the master is presented, attention is focused on self-portraits. The article is complemented by archival photographs found by the authors in Ukraine and Poland, they demonstrate close household and family ties, which in turn were reflected in the formation and existence of the folk multicultural traditions of the region. The master’s photographs are perhaps the only photographic record that, carries important information about the way of life, appearance, environment and occupations of the Moldavian population of Bessarabia bordering the Ukrainian Podolia. Greim’s creative heritage is a significant contribution to the study of the national identity of the Ukrainian and Moldovan nations.