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Pictures from an exhibition | KORYDOR

Pictures from an exhibition

PinchuArtCentre

Lizaveta German

22.03.2011

244

Following a wave of accusations of ignoring Ukrainian art, PinchukArtCentre (PAC) can finally boast of a project with a stratospheric number of examples of local creative potential. As part of the new exhibition You+I, South African artist Candice Breitz proposed that Ukrainian artists (or people who consider themselves such) make a portrait of her for a collective exhibition at PAC. In just a few weeks, several rooms in the Centre were filled top to bottom with works. You cant help but rejoice at the level of participation and openness to cooperation from the artistic segment of the population. But at the same time it makes you wonder is this event for many their only opportunity to exhibit their works, bypassing the subjective market-based laws of galleries? Many youth Ukrainian artists still think the only way to realize themselves creatively is by working with galleries. In Ukraine, the number of galleries willing to work with young artists from scratch doesnt stir the imagination. The alternative, which exists only on paper, is state organizations such as the Artists Union feeble rudiments once established and justified by the Soviet system of state support that cant attract new members and only alienates existing ones. The so-called institutional career path for the majority of creative youth remains terra incognita, requiring explanation on the level of an anti-illiteracy campaign. The opportunity to display ones work in the most visited exhibition space was more attractive. This desire only hardened under the influence of Candice Breitzs charm, which she sincerely and generously exuded at meetings with Ukrainian artists ahead of the exhibition In the end, the project with the very compelling name You+I not only offered the viewer hundreds of
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interpretations of the artists image, but also a snapshot of young Ukrainian art (or at least those that seek to reach this chimerical level). Most of the works, it seems, came from art students and youth who havent taken any art lessons. Lets recall that a professional education or experience wasnt mandatory. Education even became an obstacle. At least one of the students from the Art Academy that brought an academic sort of portrait of Breitz to PAC was rejected by the girls at the drop-off point. What can I say, its difficult to associate the study of painting with the cherished category of contemporary. However, the project You+I in no way aimed to criticize or assess our art situation, but simply wanted to objectively define the range of young artists of a country little known on the global art map. Thats why during a conversation with students at the Academy, Candice Breitz emphasized that there are no style, genre, technical or other restrictions to their expression. You can be certain that the artists appeal was heard. With every week (works were accepted even after the official opening) the halls looked more diverse paintings of different formats and skill levels, graphics, numerous photos, hand-written lyrics resembling school love poems, a video of Alevtina Kakhidzes wonderful performance, a witty piece (bag of candies) by Oleksiy Sai, who is so eager to be assigned the most talked about term in art critic circles lately conceptual. The portraits are literal, metaphorical, symbolic. The artist, who asked everyone to portray her as they saw her, should be satisfied, though the visions of some authors were excessively specific and individualistic. Perhaps its my subjective disbelief in the young so-called abstractionists of our day talking, but the work with the pink and green squares in the spirit of an early Victor Vasarely seems like something that waited a long time inside an unknown op-art adepts barn until the opportunity arose to turn it into portraiture. An interesting work found a place for itself beyond the main exhibition halls. Artist Maria Pavlenko drew Candice Breitzs hands and head in the mirror-filled restrooms. How is this not site-specific? Lets take a lyrical step back and leaf through the history of PAC: during at least its first two projects, the Centres restrooms were considered the peoples choice among those who were first to stand in line by Bessarabka Market to see contemporary world art. Ironically, over time these masterpieces of industrial design became a full-fledged part of the project space. Overall, Candices exhibition is interesting, clear and very diverse, at times excessively the public should like that. There are many details that warrant a closer looks, a dose of healthy humor and a hint of provocation that is traditionally associated with the trendy label contemporary art. Here I would like to note that PACs target audience has become if not more knowledgeable, then at least far more open and tolerant of this phenomenon that until recently was considered the enemy. The first meetings as part of the newly launched course on contemporary art by Cultural Project noted a slight qualitative and quantitative shift in the audiences attitude towards cultural issues. The lay public no longer seems as lost and confused when it comes to spectacles, socially critical gestures, political discourse and other Groyses. People still seek advice (almost practical) how to perceive and understand the wonders presented by PAC as the most contemporary of world art. Although they have given up asking why a dead shark is called a work of art. The glory of Hirsts exhibit didnt last long; nothing is eternal. For the art community and progressive viewers, Candice Beitzs project should be an interesting panorama of Ukrainian art that you wont even find in special youth-oriented projects such as MUHi. Im not sure whether its to the benefit of artists or gallerists, but they wont judge an artist solidly based on one work. Even so, the vast majority of works exhibited dont mention the author, unless they surmised to leave their signature on the front side of the work. But that was the essence of this project. What's more, selected works will continue to travel namelessly with Candice Beitz to museums and cities around the world. You+I got its start in Ukraine and in the future, Ukrainian artists will be accompanied by colleagues from other cities-countriescontinents and they will all remain anonymous authors of a piece of gesamtkunstwerk mosaic by a South African artist. Given the earlier mentioned thrill of our artists to be exhibited most of all, it would be interesting to learn their opinion about the future of their works. Would they want them to be part of Candice Breitzs permanent collection, and how bothered are they by the disregard of copyright for the sake of the idea? Ivanka-Kate Yakovyna, a young designer and photographer, considers it a challenge to implement an idea perfectly in a short period of time that doesnt just meet Candice Breitzs expectations but also her own. If
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youre going to join the project, do so wisely, and make something more than just a portrait. Im interested in my work being part of this cross-section of Ukrainian art that everyone is talking about. And it doesnt matter if its written in capital letters that this is my work, or its not signed anywhere. I understand the essence of the project, and it wont change if the works are signed or not, commented the artist. And I will acquire a name, its not important in what field, in other ways. Participation was important for me in this particular project, she added ambitiously. Graphic artist Iryna Kostyshyna thinks the value of Candice Breitz portrait idea is the opportunity for interaction between two artists, two closed systems that start to interact. The fact that one system is later absorbed by the other is another matter. Its difficult to talk about copyright in general and in the context of this project. I cant comment immediately. I dont care about the signature because people dont know me outside Ukraine anyway. Id be more concerned with how well the exhibition featuring my work will be organized. The author of another portrait shares a similar opinion. Granted, the motivation behind their participation was diametrically different. Future art critic Olena Nedilko doesnt recognize any creative practices of the 20th century and believes everything called modern art is a profanation. Olena considers her work featuring an image of a womans face framed by a black ribbon on a red background as mourning for art. The fact that the result of one amateur persons mental process one night was accepted for an exhibition and even admired proves once again that there is no meaning to contemporary art. The fact that Olena, whether she wants to or not, thinks conceptually (theres no escaping the word) and creates an art product, doesnt change anything for the girl. One creation wont raise me to the ranks of an artist. If its exhibited in other countries, I dont think someone will decipher my message. Whats most important is that I affirmed my position. All we have left is to hope that every participant in the project received personal satisfaction from the new artistic experience. And its not worth analyzing whether this satisfaction simply flatters professional pride (rumor has it that some artists have already added exhibition at PAC to their resume) or whether it is the joy of understanding ones audience and oneself. The author is grateful to Alina Sandulyan and Olena Homyreva for help in preparing this piece.

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