Appeal from the Association of People’s Deputies of Ukraine
Spearheaded by Serhiy Taruta, the Association of People’s Deputies of Ukraine has formally called on the country’s leadership to safeguard the creative heritage of celebrated artist Ivan Marchuk. This initiative coincides with the artist’s 90th birthday, which will be marked on May 12. The Association urged the President, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, the Cabinet of Ministers, and the relevant ministry to take concrete steps to ensure the proper preservation and legal protection of Marchuk’s body of work.
On December 18, 2025, law enforcement launched a criminal investigation following a complaint filed by Ivan Marchuk. The artist alleged that his property rights to his own works had been misappropriated through an abuse of trust. He stated that he was misled about the legal implications of signing Licensing (Copyright) Agreement No. 1 dated May 21, 2020. That agreement was signed by five individuals: Ivan Marchuk, Serhiy Pavlenko, Mykhailo Synytsia, Ihor Apostol, and Tamara Strypko. Under its terms, Marchuk granted an exclusive license to four of these individuals to use the copyrights to images of all his paintings for a period of 100 years. In return, he allegedly received only 10,000 hryvnias (approximately 360 USD at the 2020 exchange rate) along with a 5% royalty on revenues from licensing rights. However, Marchuk claims that no payments under this agreement were ever made to him.
Seizure of Paintings and Calls for Action
In March 2026, a Kyiv court ordered the seizure of four paintings and one sheet featuring an animal image. In response, the Association of People’s Deputies of Ukraine stressed that how the state treats Ivan Marchuk serves as a litmus test for the nation’s maturity. They emphasized that Ukraine must not remember its great artists only during celebrations, leaving them to face the challenges of preserving their collections and securing legal protection on their own.
The Association called on the President of Ukraine to initiate a comprehensive state-level decision ensuring the proper protection of Ivan Marchuk’s creative legacy as an object of special national cultural value. It also proposed that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine oversee the development and implementation of a transparent mechanism for the preservation, cataloging, legal protection, archiving, and institutional support of the artist’s creative heritage, including the operation of relevant museums, foundations, and memorial institutions.
The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine was advised to urgently conduct a professional assessment of the condition of Marchuk’s creative legacy and to provide state-backed support for its protection. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine was urged to consider forming a dedicated state policy for safeguarding the cultural heritage of living classics of Ukrainian art as a component of the country’s humanitarian security.
This situation underscores the critical need for state-level protection of cultural heritage, especially given the legal challenges artists often face. The appeal from the Association of People’s Deputies of Ukraine could mark a pivotal step toward stronger support for artists and their rights, as well as ensuring the proper preservation of their works. In an era marked by disputes over copyright and ownership, establishing clear government mechanisms to protect Ukraine’s cultural legacy has become increasingly urgent.