The Zablotska–Koval Foundation
The genesis of a collection: the Zablotska–Koval Foundation
The Zablotska–Koval Foundation is the outcome of more than thirty years of pursuit by Irena Zablotska and Oleg Koval. Passionate about Ukraine’s textile wealth, they have patiently assembled more than 500 rushnyky, saving from oblivion unique pieces from rural homes and ancestral traditions.
This collection took shape through travel and direct encounters across Ukraine. Each piece was chosen for its rarity, the quality of its execution, and its power to evoke a specific era or region, making the whole a true encyclopaedia of thread.
Our mission: preserve, document, transmit
The Foundation’s primary goal is to turn this private collection into a public, structured archive. We apply a rigorous methodology to document every textile: analysing weaving techniques, identifying pigments and decoding ritual symbolism to offer an unprecedented scientific perspective.
Material conservation is not enough; heritage must circulate. By digitising the entire collection, we enable researchers, students and curious minds worldwide to access this resource. Our ambition is for the Zablotska–Koval Foundation to become a reference tool for the study of Ukrainian ethnography.
Ambition and international reach
The Foundation has already had the honour of showing part of its collection at major exhibitions in France, including the Senate, the Opéra Bastille and the Ukrainian Cultural Centre in Paris. These moments of sharing confirmed universal interest in the art of the rushnyk and its resonance with European history.
Our horizon now turns to collaboration with major international museums and academic institutions. We aim to organise travelling exhibitions so that these rushnyky become true ambassadors of Ukrainian culture, bearing witness to its resilience and historical depth on the world stage.