The Samuel J. Zacks Gallery presents Evocation: The Collected Works of Olga Cirak, which celebrates the life, culture and traditions of Eastern Europe with a special journey into Ukraine. The works on display in the exhibit were donated to Stong College by Olga Cirak, a retired staff member of the college. An avid art collector and one of the college’s most distinguished members, Cirak amassed a variety of paintings and prints from various Eastern European artists. The works have been displayed together and present a snapshot into the past and present of the Ukraine.
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Nicknamed "Mama Stong" by students, Olga Cirak was a dedicated staff member at York University's Stong College from 1973 until the fall of 1990. Prior to coming to Stong she had been the graduate program assistant in the Department of English in the Faculty of Arts. Cirak died in 1991, aged 59.
York University's Stong College Alumni Bursary was renamed the Olga Cirak Alumni Bursary in her honour, celebrating her life and contribution to the college. It is given every year to a student who has demonstrated a high level of commitment and involvement in the college, a serious academic attitude and financial need. It will be presented at the "Evocation" opening reception.
The Zacks Gallery is located in room 109 of Stong College on the Keele campus. The gallery is open Monday to Friday from 11:30am to 4:30pm. The opening reception and the awarding of the Olga Cirak Alumni Bursary will take place Oct. 20, from 6 - 8pm at the Zacks Gallery. For more information, call ext. 33055 or e-mail zacks@yorku.ca.