Artist and state: relations improving
The first signs of normalization and more or less healthy and equitable relations between artists and society are beginning to appear on the cultural scene of Ukraine. New art galleries are opening in Kiev and impressive collections of works of art ae being created at banks and corporations. Ukrainian artists, who were in dire straits, have taken a new lease of life thanks to the new patrons of the arts. The long forgotten and ruined mechanisms of cooperation between artists and the state are being gradually mended.
Thus, in 1991 there was established the “UKV” Gallery of Modern Art sponsored by the Ukrinbank and the “Kleynod” small enterprise.
Asked about the Gallery`s goal and activity, its director TETYANA KRENDELYOVA said the following: “Our work must promote the development of artistic processes in today`s Ukrainian art and its natural joining world culture. We aim at presenting the integral picture of modern Ukrainian art to both ordinary art lovers and experts. This picture may be not formed from the most interesting and noteworthy names and episode. They may already exist or are just being born of different schools and trends. They may represent orthodox realism or already traditional avantgarde or some experimentalism which has not yet become a part of modern esthetic awareness.”
The recently established gallery rushed into furious activity, having filled Kiev’s cultural life with a cascade of art shows in the framework of the program “Marathon -Blitz.” Enjoying great popularity was last year’s exhibition “Artists of the Paris Commune” with the participation of young artists guided by the philosophical and esthetic principles of postmodernism –O. Hnilytsky, O. Holosiy, I. Chychkan, V. Turbina, N. Filonenko, T. Halochkina, L. Vartivanov.
Another exhibition, “The Unknown Notable Masters”, featured chamber paintings by formerly well-known and officially celebrated artists from the social realism school. Among them were O. Lopukhov, V. Odaynyk, V. Puzyrkov, V. Shatalin, Displayed were also works by representatives of older generations –S. Shyshko, F. Zakharov, Ye. Volobuyev, T. Yablonska, who had the nerve not to be in the “mainstream” blessed by communist ideologists.
Shortly after this exhibition, the Ukrainian Fine Arts Museum hosted a representation ceremony of the “UKV” Gallery’s collection — its part titled “Experimental Art”. The bulk of it was made up of works by already recognized though young artists. A bit later the exhibition “Arts Preserve” was staged. It represented eight artists loyal to the philosophy of artistic forms: T. Sylvashi, M. Heyko, O. Zhyvotkov, M. Kryvenko, O. Babak, P. Kerestey, S. Semernin, A. Kryvolap.
That event was followed by the “Calm” exhibition, which, according to its organizers, had to show a turn from the program transavantgarde eclecticism of recent years toward a new posteclectic integrity, toward some laboratory — artificial style. After that the “Marathon” initiators decided to take a breather.
But let’s get back to our talk with Tetyana Krendelyova:
QUESTION: The “Calm” exhibition was the last in your “Marathon” program. Does it mean that calm has set in on our cultural scene?
ANSWER: No, we are not going to finish our activity. Our plans include the holding of another exhibition. “The Mouth of Medusa”, whose concept is closely connected with feministic trends in modern art. Additionally, we are preparing an exhibition of Ukrainian art of the socialist realism epoch. Its concept is based on scientific, objective and deideologized approach. We’ll hold one-man shows of works by artists known for their original artistic views. Besides, our gallery has
already held an exhibition of works by Nadia Ponomarenko from Uzhgorod.
Q.: But who determines the gallery’s policy?
A.: We have a council of experts which includes Ukrainian art critics Olexander Solovyov, Yevhen Solonin, Larion Balzak, Mykola Mudry, Lyudmyla Melnyk. It is they who shape the gallery’s policy.
Q.: Apart from making your own collection and participation in forming the Ukrainian art market infrastructure, you have perhaps a program of charity actions?
A.: Of course, we have a few such programs which are aimed at a revival of Ukrainian spiritual culture and include, above all, assistance to museums: the formation of a date bank for Kiev’s Museum of Russian Art, acquisition of paintings for it and for the Museum of Ukrainian Fine Arts. We plan to participate in preparations for the 70th anniversary of Kiev’s Museum of Russian Art, and publish catalogs and magazines which would reflect the processes taking place in modern Ukrainian art.
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Thus, the “UKV” Gallery is becoming a link to unite concrete institutions and organizations with individual artists specializing in modern art. And this is an important step toward a revival of national spiritual culture, and another proof that normal relations between artists and the state are becoming a reality.
OLESYA AVRAMENKO, Art criticТип коментаря: Опублікований коментар
Автор: Олеся Авраменко, Тетяна Крендельова
Бібліографія:
Avramenko O., Krendelyova T. Artist and state: relations improving. The news from Ukraine [newspaper]. – #29. – 1992. – 6 p.
Джерела: Avramenko O., Krendelyova T. Artist and state: relations improving. The news from Ukraine [newspaper]. – #29. – 1992. – 6 p.
