Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee Invites the Public to View an Exhibition of the Life’s Work of Two Ukrainian Women in "Two Regimes: A Mother’s Memoir of Wartime Survival"

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –

Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee invites the public to experience the exhibition “Two Regimes,” which depicts the life story of a mother and daughter in Mariupol, Ukraine from 1927 to 1945. 

“I am honored to invite the public to this exhibition. "Two Regimes" powerfully reveals a struggle for survival under the reigns of Stalin and Hitler,” said Secretary Lee. “In this remarkable visual and written memoir, "Two Regimes" brings Teodora Verbitskaya’s writings and Nadia Werbitzky’s paintings together for future generations.  It offers the opportunity for open discussion on the impacts of oppression, genocide and war on families then and now.” A film based on the exhibition is also available as a free resource for Florida educators. A demo of the film can be seen at www.TwoRegimes.com/school-film.

The manuscripts of Teodora Verbitskaya are brought to life by the paintings of her daughter, Nadia Werbitzky.  Together, they document and interpret the lives of Ukrainians, Jews, Greeks, and others who lost their lives during this tragic period in world history.  After liberation from a forced labor camp by United States soldiers in 1945, Verbitskaya and Werbitzky immigrated to Canada. Nadia Werbitzky later spent several years painting in Florida.  “Two Regimes” is a salvaged collection discovered in the year 2000 in rural North Florida.  The exhibition is on display in the 22^nd Floor Capitol Gallery through July 28, 2022.

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About the 22nd Floor Capitol Gallery

Located on the top floor of Florida's Capitol building, the 22nd Floor Capitol Gallery has hosted exhibitions by notable Florida artists Romero Britto, Xavier Cortada and Richard Bickel.

The Capitol Gallery is located on the 22nd Floor of the State Capitol Building. Normal hours are Mondays through Fridays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.