Zhanna Kadyrova. “House of Culture.” 2023. Server cabinet, chandelier, ground
Job Description
For the work “House of Culture,” Zhanna Kadyrova transfers a former server room from the village of Posad-Pokrovske in the Kherson region into the exhibition space. It suffered significant damage from missile fragments and was taken out of operation. Inside, however, there is a whole and shining chandelier from the Taras Shevchenko Center for Culture and Leisure in the city of Beryslav, located on the other side of the region. This city was liberated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in November 2022. The chandelier in the installation is always lit, with rays passing through holes in the walls, pierced by Russian attacks. The work does not aestheticize the horror but documents reality: most houses of culture across Ukraine are in a similar state but continue to function. Even if they have changed their original purpose, they operate as humanitarian headquarters or points of resilience. There, local residents and internally displaced persons receive assistance or consultations on urgent matters. Similarly, the artist’s “House of Culture” operates and illuminates the space, becoming a monument to the shared resistance of Ukrainians during the full-scale invasion.
