We use cookies on this website. By continuing to use this site without changing your cookie settings, you agree that you are happy to accept our privacy policy and for us to access our cookies on your device.
Transcript/Script((TITLE: TV Olena Kurilo Photo – Bagdasaryan
HEAD: Face of Olena Kurilo – Bloodied Symbol of Russia’s Attack on Ukraine
DATE: 03/25/2022 at 8:40am
PUBLISHED AT: 03/25/2022 at 8:40am
BYLINE: Angelina Bagdasaryan
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Los Angeles
VIDEOGRAPHER: Vazgen Varzhabetian
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original
SCRIPT EDITORS: KE, Holly Franko
PLATFORMS: TV only
TRT: 3:35
VID APPROVED BY: KE
TYPE: TVPKG
UPDATE:))
((INTRO))
[[Images of Olena Kurilo’s bloodied face have become a symbol of Russia’s attack on Ukraine and its civilians. They impressed the Los Angeles-based artist Zhenya Gershman so much that she painted a portrait of Kurilo from the photograph. Angelina Bagdasaryan has the story, narrated by Anna Rice.]]
((NARRATOR))
For artist Zhenya Gershman, granddaughter
((Mandatory courtesy: Matusovsky Family Archive))
of Soviet poet Mikhail Matusovsky,
((End courtesy))
Russia’s attack on Ukraine came as a shock. Her grandfather, who had moved to California from Moscow many years ago, would not have survived the trauma, she says
((Zhenya Gershman, Artist)) ((IN RUSSIAN))
“He loved culture, he loved the Russian language, but his roots were in Ukraine. //
((Mandatory courtesy: Matusovsky Family Archive))
His father, my great-grandfather, was the first photographer in Luhansk. // He would not have survived this
((End courtesy))
war; he would have simply gotten a heart attack.”
((NARRATOR))
For years, Gershman has been
((Mandatory courtesy: ZhenyaGershman.com))
pouring her soul onto canvas. These latest events were not an exception. After she saw this photograph
((End courtesy))
((Mandatory courtesy: Wolfgang_Schwan + Instagram Logo))
of Ukrainian Olena Kurilo,
((End courtesy))
((Mandatory courtesy: Heritage Auctions))
she knew what she had to do.
((End courtesy))
((Zhenya Gershman, Artist)) ((IN RUSSIAN))
“These eyes talked to me – I just had to do something.”
((NARRATOR))
((Mandatory courtesy: Heritage Auctions))
After she was done, she
((End courtesy))
showed the portrait to a friend, filmmaker Adrian Roup.
((Adrian Roup, Filmmaker))
“I couldn’t look away, I couldn’t stop thinking about it …
((Mandatory courtesy: Heritage Auctions))
And I wrote back to her immediately, saying this is something that could launch a movement!”
((End courtesy))
((Zhenya Gershman, Artist)) ((IN RUSSIAN))
“Adrian helped me get in touch with an auction, with the largest art auction house in the world, Heritage Auctions. They have millions of active participants, and they hope that in the two weeks that the auction for this painting will last they can raise millions that will all go to the Red Cross foundation to help Ukraine.”
((NARRATOR))
Gershman is in touch with the photographer
((Mandatory courtesy: Wolfgang_Schwan + Instagram Logo))
who made the photograph of Kurilo. Wolfgang Schwan is American; he flew to Ukraine to document everything that was going on there. On the very first day, Kurilo got caught
((End courtesy))
on his camera.
((Wolfgang Schwan, Photojournalist))
“On the way we noticed a large plume of smoke coming from the direction of Chuhuiv. We made the decision that we’re going to head to that area, see what it is that’s burning. //
((Mandatory courtesy: Wolfgang_Schwan + Instagram Logo))
So, we just accidentally arrived at a civilian complex that has been struck. // We parked the car
((End courtesy))
between these two buildings. The first person that we see is actually Olena…”
((NARRATOR))
((Mandatory courtesy: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images))
The photograph made many newspapers’ front pages around the world; in Russia the picture was called a fake, and
((End courtesy))
((Mandatory courtesy: Olena Kurilo))
the woman on it – an actress wearing makeup.
Kurilo is a teacher from the village of Chuhuiv. When the shelling
((End courtesy))
((Mandatory courtesy: Wolfgang_Schwan + Instagram Logo))
started early on February 24th, she was inside her apartment. She says it’s a miracle she is still alive.
((End courtesy))
((Olena Kurilo, Chuhuiv Resident)) ((IN RUSSIAN))
“Suddenly, there was a loud bang – and shattered glass falling on me. Blood was pouring onto my face. When I managed to leave the building, I saw three reporters, I didn’t pay attention to them, they were taking pictures.”
((NARRATOR))
((Mandatory courtesy: Olena Kurilo))
Kurilo was surprised her bloodied face
((End courtesy))
((Mandatory courtesy: Wolfgang_Schwan + Instagram Logo))
became the symbol of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
((End courtesy))
((Mandatory courtesy: Olena Kurilo))
She was also surprised to learn how many people wanted to help her.
((End courtesy))
((Zhenya Gershman, Artist)) ((IN RUSSIAN))
“We are helping her find a surgeon; she can’t see with one eye. She needs urgent surgery, but there are no surgeons who can help during the war. // We sent her some financial aid. She has nowhere to live, she has nothing.”
((NARRATOR))
Gershman continues to work; she bases a lot of her portraits
((Mandatory courtesy: Wolfgang_Schwan + Instagram Logo))
on Schwan’s photographs. After Russia’s
((End courtesy))
invasion comes to an end, she hopes to organize an exhibition together with Schwan.
((For Angelina Bagdasaryan in Los Angeles, Anna Rice, VOA News))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Los Angeles
BylineAngelina Bagdasaryan
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
