Zhanna Kadyrova. “Second Hand. Kyiv” from the series “Second Hand” (2014–present). 2015. Ceramic tile. Sizes vary

Series description

The series of works “Second Hand” consists of sculptures that reproduce the shapes of wardrobe items (dresses, T-shirts, etc.) and literally embody the idea of material reuse. In all iterations of the project, Kadyrova collected ceramic tiles in abandoned buildings, giving them a second life. Among the locations are a bus stop in the former village of Poliske (now part of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone), the Kyiv film copying factory, the All’Angelo hotel near St. Mark’s Square in Venice, and others. The author also worked with repurposed premises, including the Darnytsia Silk Factory named after the 60th Anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution. After its closure in 2003, its production areas were transformed into the Darynok shopping center, which opened in 2007.

In each project, the artist formulates concise and apt statements that always result from a deep study of the history of the chosen place. She draws attention to the hidden pages of this history—from the threat of destruction of cultural heritage for the sake of developers’ commercial interests to the past that is lost beneath layers of profit and bright entertainment stands.