Hanna Palamarchuk / Анна Паламарчук (2000) was born in Vinnytsia (Вінниця) in the central part of Ukraine. She currently focuses on illustration and animated film.
She moved to the Czech Republic in 2017, right after high school. In her first year, she studied Czech language, then in 2018, she was admitted to the Studio of Graphic Design 1 at the Faculty of Art and Design at Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem. During her bachelor’s program at FUD, she volunteered at the Anifilm festival in Liberec and gradually became more involved in animation, started creating short animated films and videos and experimented with illustration. She graduated from FUD in Ústí in 2022; she graphically edited and illustrated a book by Ukrainian writer Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky, Тіні забутих предків (Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors). Set in a Carpathian village, the ballad-like love story describes the everyday simple life of the local Hutsuls against a backdrop of impressively lyrical descriptions of the mountainous landscape. This work marks Hanna Palamarchuk’s return to questions of Ukrainian identity. Since 2022, she has been studying at the Studio of Animation and Film at UMPRUM and is currently working on her master’s thesis.
Hanna Palamarchuk participated in many international exhibitions: Turboposter, Poster biennale in Warsaw, International poster competition UNESCO, Poster exhibition Franz Kafka Future of the world in PRAGUE 2021 and others. She won an award in Illustration at the Festival of Illustration and Comics (FIK 2022). Her animated film From the Past was selected for a national competition, Czech Horizon Anifilm 2023 and for VIF, Denmark’s largest animation festival, Fest Anča International Animation Festival, LINOLEUM Animation Festival, TrikFilm 2023.
Lada Hubatová-Vacková’s interview with Hanna Palamarchuk, conducted via email, July 2024
Lada Hubatová-Vacková: Where exactly are you from? What is happening in your hometown right now? Is your family with you in Prague?
Hanna Palamarchuk: I come from the city of Vinnytsia in Ukraine. I have been living in the Czech Republic for eight years. My family lives in Ukraine. Unfortunately, the war affected all citizens of my country, which is why my family, like most Ukrainians, is actively fighting for their freedom and independence. I went to the Czech Republic in the times before the war to learn more and liberate my artistic work, discover interesting solutions of self-expression and find myself. I knew that the Czech Republic gives artists freedom and support, which was and still is essential for me.
LHV: Under what circumstances did you come to Prague and why did you choose UMPRUM?
HP: As regards UMPRUM, I entered the master’s degree at the Studio of Animation and Film. Before that, I completed Graphic Design at the Faculty of Arts and Design in Ústí nad Labem. During my studies at FUD, I realized I wanted to focus on animation and film. And the best place to learn that was the Studio of Animation and Film at UMPRUM.
LHV: How do you feel about Prague and the Czech Republic? Do you feel good here? Have you encountered any issues?
HP: I feel myself here. I have made a lot of friends here and a lot of memories in those eight years. I reached adulthood here, so that’s why Prague is my second home.
LHV: How do you feel at UMPRUM and your studio? Why did you choose the studio of Animation and Film specifically?
HP: I’d been looking for a place that would give me new opportunities and expand my skills. I’d been looking for individual freedom and I think that I found exactly that in the Studio of Animation and Film. My studio is my animation family. I always find support and help, both on a professional and personal level. Teachers and classmates have been a daily source of inspiration since the beginning of my studies. I’m most happy and grateful for who I’ve met and have here.
LHV: Describe what you deal with in your artistic work, what are your thoughts in this context, what kind of approaches you employ in your projects. Feel free to elaborate.
HP: In my artistic work, I explore the technique of collage. I experiment with movement and visuality in animated films. I combine cutout animation with pixilation and I try to find new ways to materialize my ideas and stories. (Note: Cutout animation is the oldest animation technique. It consists of composing individual images from two-dimensional props such as pictures cut out of paper or shapes cut out of textiles. In contrast, pixilation uses live actors as objects for animation. The actor becomes a living puppet. This technique is often used when pairing live actors with animated ones.) It’s just important to remain yourself and preserve your identity. I’m sure that the real power lies in the truth. That’s why I try to make my work truthful. I enjoy the result as much as the process, so every project is a new challenge and adventure.
This year, in the winter term at UMPRUM, in collaboration with the Studio of Design and Digital Technology, with students Tereza Válková, Šimon Janoušek, Ondřej Sázava and Polina Bakanova, we created a computer game called Šichta (Work Shift) that was presented at festivals FIK in Ústí nad Labem and České vize in Ústí nad Orlicí. I contributed with game design and animation.
I also have projects outside the school, for instance, Michaela Režová and I worked on a Franz Kafka documentary in a co-production with Arte, under the guidance of the director Pavel Šimák. I also worked on an animated jingle and redesign for the national showcase of films České vize (Czech Vision).
LHV: Do you feel you need to become socially and politically engaged in connection with Ukraine? If so, in what form?
HP: In my opinion, the best way to engage is to be active and truthful in your art. Visual art and audiovisual art represent a powerful language that resonates in society and that enables me to share my message with the world.
