“Borderline. Ukrainian Art 1985–2004” – a Group Exhibition of Ukrainian Artists

The PinchukArtCentre presents “Borderline. Ukrainian Art 1985–2004” – a large scale group show of Ukrainian artists exploring development of the Ukrainian contemporary art from early 1980s till 2004 when the Orange Revolution had happened in the country. The exhibition investigates driving forces of socially and politically engaged art starting from “pre-perestroika” time. It presents more than 40 major group works by prominent Ukrainian artists and art groups whose practice has been defined during and shortly after the collapse of the USSR.

The project includes works by Sergey Bratkov, Oksana Chepelyk, Illya Chichkan, Oleg Golosiy, Yuri Leiderman, Pavlo Makov, Masoch Fund, Boris Mikhailov, Natsprom, Vlada Ralko, Alexander Roitburd, Jury Rupin, Andriy Sagaidakovsky, Arsen Savadov, Georgiy Senchenko, Oleg Tistol, Vasiliy Tsagolov, and Leonid Voitsekhov.

The artists in the exhibition have played a leading role to define the position of art in a post-soviet society and searched for ways to confront their own history, regain artistic freedom and develop a critical artistic voice. Through their work they often reflected, mirrored or responded upon a society that had to re-invent itself through instability, ideological shifts and social changes.  

Björn Geldhof, Deputy Artistic Director of the PinchukArtCentre:“With this exhibition I try to create a position that will spark discourse on how to appreciate and understand the generation of artists who emerged during early 80ties and 90ties. The exhibition is a stand against formal appreciations but instead tries to offer a view that allows to see unifying driving forces within Ukrainian art.”

Throughout the exhibition, three main themes are formulated: “Perestroika”, “search for identity” (both personal and national) and “the corruption of morals”. These themes are traced through the different artistic practices in Ukraine between 1985 and 2004. The exhibition attempts to formulate an alternative view, away from a division into traditionally defined formal schools, in search for shared artistic driving forces that reveal an engagement in, and reflection of a country in transition and a social flux.

The exhibition is curated by Bjorn Geldhof, Deputy Artistic Director of the PinchukArtCentre and co-curated by the art centre’s junior curator Tatiana Kochubinska.

Boris Mikhailov. “Case History”, 1997–1998, c-print, сourtesy of the artist

Boris Mikhailov. “Case History”, 1997–1998, c-print, сourtesy of the artist

Boris Mikhailov. “Case History”, 1997–1998, c-print, сourtesy of the artist

Arsen Savadov. From “Donbass-Chocolate” series, 1997, colour and black and white photographs

Arsen Savadov. From “Donbass-Chocolate” series, 1997, colour and black and white photographs

Vasily Tsagolov. “Criminal Week”, 1994, c-print, courtesy of the artist

Andriy Sagaidakovsky. From “Anatomy studies” series, late 1980s, oil, chalk and mixed technique on canvas, courtesy of the artist

Pavlo Makov. “Book of the Day”, 1992–2002, etching on paper

Sergey Bratkov. From “Landing party” series, 2002, c-print on vinyl, courtesy of the Regina Gallery, Moscow

Sergey Bratkov. From “Gold War” series, 2009, collage, inkjet print, tempera, fancy pen, courtesy of the artist

Vlada Ralko. “Speak about this quieter”, 2008 from Envy to Reality series oil, acrylic, permanent pen, pencil on canvas

Vlada Ralko from series Chinese Erotic Diary, 2002 Sporty, 2004 School Wool, 2004–2007 pencil, watercolour, permanent pen on paper

Pavlo Makov. “Fountain of Exhaustion”, 1996, bronze

Oleg Golosiy. “Bridge”, 1992, oil on canvas

Yuri Leiderman. “Places, where I was happy”, 1995 photographs, red paper circles

Yuri Leiderman. “Places, where I was happy”, 1995 photographs, red paper circles

Oksana Chepelyk. “Chronicles of Fortinbras”, 2001, digitized 35mm film, 30’ ,courtesy of the Ukrainian State Studio of Documentary Films “Ukrkinokhronika”

Sergey Bratkov. “Madness”, 2014, black and white print, neon, courtesy of the Regina gallery, Moscow

Andriy Sagaidakovsky. “Portrait of the Artist’s Father”, 1991, courtesy of the artist

Yuri Rupin. From “November 7” series, 1985 scanned negatives, digital print, courtesy of the artist’s family

Yuri Rupin. From “November 7” series, 1985 scanned negatives, digital print, courtesy of the artist’s family

Boris Mikhailov. “Case History”, 1997–1998 c-print, сourtesy of the artist

Oleg Tistol. “Reunion”, 1988, oil on canvas (left)

Natsprom. From “Ukrainian money” series, 1995, collage and stencil on paper, courtesy of Ihor Abramovych сollection

Illya Chichkan. “Sleeping Princes of Ukraine”, 1997, c-print

Yuri Leiderman. “Untitled”, 1985–1987, exercise books, hand-made books, collage, ink, fancy pen, courtesy of the artist

Yuri Leiderman. “Untitled”, 1985–1987, exercise books, hand-made books, collage, ink, fancy pen, courtesy of the artist

Leonid Voitsekhov. “By the Way”, 1983/2015, 1983 performance re-enactment

Arsen Savadov, Georgiy Senchenko. “Voices of Love”, 1994, three-channel video installation, сourtesy of the artists

Sergey Bratkov “Glass of Soup”, 2004 video installation, 5’ сourtesy of the Regina Gallery, Moscow and Arsen Savadov “Care”, 2002–2005 oil on canvas, private collection, Kyiv

Alexander Roitburd. “Psychedelic Invasion of the Battleship Potyomkin into Sergey Eisenstein’s Tautological Hallucinations”, 1998 black and white video, sound, 7’ 26’’ Courtesy of the artist

Masoch Fund. “Art in Space”, 1993 video, 4’ 44’’ Courtesy of the artists