On May 7, at 21:00, in Venice, iconic Ukrainian rock band “Okean Elzy” will perform a free open-air concert on the occasion of the opening of the Ukrainian national pavilion at the 56th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia.
Joining the voices of young Ukrainian artists representing the country at the Venice Biennale with a project titled “Hope!” the most famous Ukrainian band and its frontman Slava Vakarchuk will play to support the building of a new Ukraine.
The concert, organised by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, will take place after the official opening on 7 May next to the Ukrainian pavilion on the main waterfront route from Arsenale to Giardini (Riva dei Sette Martiri).
“Okean Elzy” is not only Ukraine’s most successful rock band, but also celebrated for its participation in the Ukrainian protest movement, performing in Kyiv’s Independent Square to thousands of citizens in December 2013, and with a mass following. Lead singer and songwriter, Slava Vakarchuk has achieved legendary status, as a spokesman for the new Ukraine.
The Ukrainian national pavilion at the 56th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia, presents a group exhibition entitled “Hope!” featuring a young generation of Ukrainian artists, including Yevgenia Belorusets, Nikita Kadan, Zhanna Kadyrova, Mykola Ridnyi & Serhiy Zhadan, Artem Volokitin, Anna Zvyagintseva and Open Group. The Ukrainian glass pavilion stands as a model for a new transparent Ukraine reaching out to the world. With this exhibition a young generation of artists voices hopes for Ukraine’s future while confronting the current conflict and the countries recent history.
The project is organized by the PinchukArtCentre with the support of the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.
Ministry of Culture of Ukraine is commissioner. Björn Geldhof, Deputy Artistic Director of the PinchukArtCentre, is the curator of the project.
Press Preview: 09:30 Thursday 7th May
Official Opening: 18:00 Thursday 7th May (by invitation only)
Free Open Air Concert by the “Okean Elzy”: 21:00 Thursday 7th May (free admission)
Working hours: 10:00 – 18:00, from May 8 till July 31, 2015.
Official hashtag the Ukrainian national pavilion: #biennalearte2015ukraine
Organising Institutions:
Ministry of Culture of Ukraine – Commissioner.
PinchukArtCentre with the support of the Victor Pinchuk Foundation – Organizer.
The PinchukArtCentre represented Ukraine in 2007 and 2009 at the 52nd and 53rd International Art Exhibitions - la Biennale di Venezia, organizing the Ukrainian national pavilions, as well as with Future Generation Art Prize@Venice exhibitions in 2011 and 2013 as part of the Collateral events.
