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Honouring a Century of Stories
For over a century, Ukrainian language press and publishing houses in Canada have contributed to our culture's global richness and stability. Trident Press (1910-2018) was one of Canada's first and longest-lasting Ukrainian/English publishers in Canada. Its weekly publication, “The Ukrainian Voice,” was distributed across Canada, with many news articles and photographic contributions coming from Alberta.
In 2018, Trident Press closed its doors, and over 5,000 printing blocks dating back over 100 years were destined for a dumpster. These blocks were salvaged by Canadian artist Larisa Sembaliuk Cheladyn, who then assembled a creative team to help research, restore, and create Ukrainian Voice: A Legacy Mosaic – a public installation that pays tribute to the history of Ukrainian print culture and photojournalism in Canada.
Each of the 2,674 printing blocks is an image that previously accompanied a newspaper story, almanac article, or chapter in a book. The creators of the original blocks were skilled technicians who used fir, oak, walnut, or spruce as the wooden backing for a photograph etched onto a metal plate. They worked with writers and layout artists to bring the text to life. Their dedication to keeping the community informed became a foundational contribution to Canadian multicultural identity.
A Mosaic of Collaboration and History
The project was brought to life over six years by a dedicated creative team and a passionate group of Edmonton-based artists Larisa Sembaliuk Cheladyn, Theodora Harasymiw, Sylvie Ellis, and Royden Mills, assisted by Mich Cheladyn, Sarah Thomson, Eric Fincham, and many community volunteers. The initial research team identified and catalogued each block. The process then turned to creation and sketching out the size and layout. The blocks were then cleaned and hand-inked for the final design. Construction was completed with a modular frame designed to accommodate easy installation.
The final step was to make the Ukrainian Voice Legacy Mosaic interactive. The the entire process, the team continued to gather information. Visitors can connect on-site to the image recognition app to explore each image and identify the sources.
Upcoming Tour Schedule
With the expertise of Edmonton sculptor Royden Mills, the installation was engineered to be modular—allowing it to travel across the country before being permanently installed. The inaugural installation is at the Royal Alberta Museum from April 2 - Jun 22, 2025. Following its debut at the RAM, the Ukrainian Voice Legacy Mosaic will tour to Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Halifax, and Ottawa.
Publications
Read more about the history and inspiration behind the Ukrainian Voice Legacy Mosaic.
