On September 16, 2026, as part of the “Creative Meetings in Times of War” series, an inspiring and engaging talk was held with Constantin PONOMARYOV — an artist, fashion designer, scenographer, art historian, and creator of the “Non-Academic History of Art” project. The event was organised by the Kharkiv Korolenko State Scientific Library (T. G. Shevchenko “Ukrainica” Department) and the Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts (Department of Painting). The meeting was masterfully moderated by Maxim ROZENFELD, PhD in Architecture, KSADA Associate Professor, and storyteller. Together with Constantin Ponomaryov, they formed an incredible duo whose dialogue held the audience’s attention from start to finish.

The conversation covered key stages of Constantin Ponomaryov’s life and creative journey, as well as the figures who had a decisive influence on his development — in particular, the artist shared memories of meeting the renowned Ukrainian painter Tetiana YABLONSKA. Special attention was paid to his development in the world of fashion, his work on original collections, and his international recognition, as Ponomaryov became the first fashion designer whose name was officially associated with Ukraine on the global fashion stage.

The discussion of his work in theatre as a set and costume designer was equally engaging. The audience was given a glimpse behind the scenes of the creative process and everyday life of the theatre, learning about the specifics of creating set designs and costumes for the productions “Shevchenko 2.0” and “Little Zaches Called Cinnabar”, the operas “T. G. Shevchenko: A Journey Through Time” and “Aeneid”, and the ballet “Dragon Songs”. The event concluded with a lively exchange with the audience, where participants submitted written questions and received thorough, insightful, and often humorously delivered responses from the speakers.

We express our gratitude to the speakers for their inspiration, and to all attendees for their genuine interest and for helping to create a warm atmosphere that supports and unites people around Ukrainian culture.

For those unable to attend, a video recording of the event will soon be available on the library’s YouTube channel.