A piece from the Shriver’s extensive collection of Ukrainian art.

While Old Lyme resident, Dick Shriver, was teaching Market Economics and Finance in 1990 in Kiev in the Soviet Union, his wife, Barbara, was busy in Kiev’s dissident art community.  Dissident artists were those who did not toe the Communist line of art that either glorified Soviet life or said nothing important.

The Shriver’s entire collection of Soviet and Ukrainian art and artifacts, currently more than 100 items spanning as many years, will be on display Saturday, March 22 and 23, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Fresh Ayer Gallery at 19 Halls Rd. in Old Lyme.  Refreshments will be served.

In addition, Professor of history, Magda Teter, from Wesleyan will make a few timely remarks on “the geo-political situation in Ukraine today” (Saturday evening only).

The Shrivers lived in Ukraine a total of eight years, one in the nation’s capital, Kiev, and seven in the largest city in western Ukraine, L’viv.

According to Barbara Shriver, “All their lives, Ukrainians and the diaspora dreamed of independence from Soviet domination.  This exhibit is to showcase Ukrainian culture – how artists and other creative people fashioned beautiful and useful artworks in spite of Soviet attempts to suppress the Ukrainian culture.”