 A life of art is not an easy one; it is full of sacrifices and utter dedication, a bit like religion. You dedicate your soul to the cause. Art from the earliest of times could be and has been described as a religious experience.
On first meeting with Orest Pasika, I was conscious of his very intense, artistic character. This serious Ukrainian artist, born in the western Ukrainian town of Buchach, spends his time between Ukraine and his new home Argentina.
After graduation in 1984 from the Academy of Fine Arts of Kyiv in 1984, he went on to work at the Kyiv Restoration Center. Here he worked on various city restorations, as well as teaching at the Boychuk Kyiv State Institute of Decorative Arts, Craft and Design. He was also head of the art department of the Historical Museum of Kyiv.
When an opportunity opened in the early 1990s to emigrate, to work and study in Argentina, Pasika jumped at the chance to set off for a more colorful life. His aim was to practice his skills as an art restorer and to set up a studio where he could engage in more original work of his own.
Emigration to Argentina was an unusual decision for a Ukrainian in the 1990's, as leaving the country required an invitation from the host country. Pasika had become acquainted with the Argentine ambassador to Ukraine, who not only invited him to come to Argentina but also assisted him in finding work there. Although he was interested in further developing his own painting skills, Pasika worked in Argentina as a restorer since there was a considerable shortage of experienced people in this field. He found that both his skills as a restorer and as a painter were greatly appreciated in his adopted country.
Although he was well-trained in classical art restoration techniques, Pasika also appreciated the advanced facilities in the field of restoration in Buenos Aires and found them very refreshing. He was able to learn new methods with new technologies, unlike Ukraine, which is still reliant on older, slower methods of restoration. "Scientific restoration is still in its infancy, particularly in Ukraine," Pasika said, with restoration still being carried out in a specific way, without using modern techniques and equipment.
When he moved to Buenos Aires he became a member of the Argentinean Artists Association and mixed with a wide range of artists, discussing ideas, techniques and responses to the world around them.
 Pasika found the Argentineans open and "enjoying the color of life." His work changed dramatically after he went there and he gained inspiration from the experience. His friends were surprised to see such a change in his work when he returned to Ukraine for a short visit.
His early work was more monotone, full of tonal mists and gazing people, turning away from the viewer and looking out, searching as if lost. When he returned from Argentina, his work radiated new color, light, texture and the subjects of his portraits looked directly at the viewer. A new confidence, a new communication became apparent in the way he worked.
"Portrait of a Couple," an oil on canvas made in 1986, is a remote example compared to the confrontational style of "Argentinean Flower Seller," another oil on canvas made in 2006. Pasika also employs new processes in his paintings, incorporating and mixing materials yet always adhering to restoration guidelines.
Last year he spent most of the year working in South America, describing the people, landscape and villages through his drawings and paintings, letting the country wash over him. He described the very contrasts that make travel to other countries so inviting - those opposites that we do not find at home.
 Various popular subject matters abound in his new work, including drawings and paintings of the tango dance, colorful scenes of pastoral life and the mountainous beauty of the country. Expressive and emotional temperaments are painted in the hot colors associated with the Latin American culture. Pasika believes he is exposing a rich artistic heritage through his restoration and his own paintings.
"Argentine culture is very similar to Ukraine," he said. He added that it concerns him that traditional cultures are often viewed as being backward, instead of being allowed to merge with the present. He has the same feeling about buildings and the new buildings going up around Kyiv. In his opinion, the beauty and heritage of the older buildings is dying, as people build a new city with modern looking buildings.
Pasika prefers the British way, which at least preserves the heritage of its buildings and incorporates them into the new city profile. In Argentina, he says, the same tragedy is happening, as people refuse to preserve their buildings due to the expense of restoration. Yet there are many beautiful buildings, he believes, which should be kept intact.
 Pasika made a point of mentioning the similarities of the two places: the rich artistic heritage of the two cities. Kyiv and Buenos Aires are very similar and the geometric elements that influence both cultures appear in both their painting and architecture.
Pasika's works do not stay in his hands for a long period; buyers who are entranced with the colors of his new found subject matter snap up most quickly. His works, mainly of Argentina, sell in America and Europe.
Pasika said he is interested in the source rather than the outcome. His restoration has allowed him to work on many remarkable buildings. For example, he assisted in restoring the icons of the Catholic Cathedral of Ukraine in Buenos Aires.
He has also been called in to do restoration work during emergency situations. One occasion was the restoration of a work of the Italian school on canvas in a monastery across the street from the Israeli embassy, which was damaged during a terrorist attack in 1991. This attack killed many people and also, Pasika believes, begs the question of how many areas in the world need care and attention to preserve artistic heritage after wars have decimated cities and many artworks.
The aftermath of September 11 tragedy in the United States is not just the loss of thousands of precious and innocent human lives but also many priceless works of art, Pasika said. Like the humans that lost their lives, the art works can never be replaced.
Pasika believes the work of the restorer is infinite in the new needs of the 21st century. This relates not only to cases of fraud, but also in identifying and explaining hidden meanings within the artworks themselves and learning more about how the artist made works of art.
It is artist/restorers like Pasika, who could begin to implement changes and values with their specialist knowledge that would ensure that works of art, buildings - the essential soul of our urban lives - are maintained, kept intact or cherished.
To learn more about the artist, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/The_Art_of_Orest_Pasika/
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