How Gromada’s Artist Bridged Ukrainian Graphics and Romanian Classics

The Romanian intelligentsia possesses a unique talent: transforming national literary heritage into a global brand. The annual "The Best Portrait Artist" competition, held in the city of Ploiești, has become exactly such a platform. Here, literary history comes to life through the strokes of graphic artists from all over the world — from Europe to the Americas and Asia.

In 2025, the world honored Mihai Eminescu and Ion Luca Caragiale. By March 2026, the focus shifted to a broader circle of Romanian writers and thinkers who laid the foundation for European identity.

For our editorial team, this competition became particularly significant. The winner of the international exhibition "THE BEST PORTRAIT ARTIST IN MARCH, 2026" and the recipient of the GRAND PRIX (ex aequo) was our colleague, the renowned Ukrainian artist and cartoonist for Gromada — Oleksandr Sydorenko.

Sydorenko’s works are more than mere portrait likenesses; they are a deep dive into context. Among his pieces that captivated the jury (which included representatives of the Union of Professional Journalists of Romania and the Eminescu Museum), the figure of Publius Ovidius Naso stands out. The last poet of Rome's "Golden Age," Ovid died in exile in what is now Romania (in Tomis, modern-day Constanța). His image is symbolic: the great Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko admired him, calling him "the most perfect creation."

The winner’s graphic series also features:

•  Neagoe Basarab — Prince of Wallachia and author of The Teachings, one of the region’s earliest philosophical and ethical works.
• Petru Maior and Timotei Cipariu — Ideologues of the Romanian Renaissance, Greek Catholic priests, and polyglot scholars who fought for the Romanian people's right to their own language and culture during the era of empires.
•  Gheorghe Lazăr and Dinicu Golescu — Enlighteners whose efforts in establishing national schools and journalism became the bedrock of modern Romania.
• Costache Conachi — A poet who made an invaluable contribution to the development of the Romanian literary language.

The competition organizers — specifically the Union of Professional Journalists of Romania (UZP) and the Eminescu Museum — rely on consistency. The contest is held regularly, creating a continuous flow of cultural content.

This serves as an important lesson in cultural management: the Romanian community does not simply preserve the memory of its geniuses; it invites the world (in this case, the Ukrainian master Oleksandr Sydorenko) into a dialogue. In this way, Romanian culture is promoted globally, uniting artists from different countries around shared values — philosophy, diplomacy, and the national spirit.

Oleksandr Sydorenko’s victory is yet another confirmation that Ukrainian art today is integrated into the European context more deeply than ever. Congratulations to the master!