2009 Ukrainian Curatorial Competition Sparks Clashes and Innovations in Traditional Museums
In 2009, the EIDOS Arts Development Foundation launched the competition "Art a priori: Contemporary Histories," which led to the development of eight curatorial projects throughout Ukraine aimed at exploring the identity of contemporary art and rejuvenating museums. These initiatives took place in cities such as Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sevastopol, Odessa, and Ternopil, showcasing the work of emerging curators and artists. A significant event was "A New History" by SOSka at the Kharkiv Art Museum, which was shut down by director Valentina Myzgina after just one day due to issues with video installations. Additionally, the Museum of Russian Art in Kyiv hosted "Videowall," featuring a live webcast with Artists Anonymous from Berlin. The competition also included a workshop led by curators Iara Boubnova and Ekaterina Degot, reflecting the challenges in Ukrainian cultural policy and the lack of governmental support for experimental art.
Key facts
- The EIDOS Arts Development Foundation sponsored the "Art a priori: Contemporary Histories" competition in 2009.
- Eight curatorial projects were realized across Ukraine, including in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sevastopol, Odessa, and Ternopil oblast.
- The competition aimed to address Ukrainian contemporary art's identity and revitalize traditional museums.
- The project "A New History" at the Kharkiv Art Museum was closed after one day by director Valentina Myzgina.
- "Videowall" at the Museum of Russian Art in Kyiv involved a live webcast with Artists Anonymous in Berlin.
- A workshop for curators was led by Iara Boubnova and Ekaterina Degot.
- Projects included formats like installations, festivals, performances, and interactive exhibitions.
- The competition highlighted institutional resistance and limited resources for contemporary art in Ukraine.
Entities
Artists
- Larissa Babij
- Ludmila Bereznitsky
- David Ter-Oganyan
- Ekaterina Degot
- Eugene Kuchinsky
- Iryna Marchenko
- Olena Afanasyeva
- Maryna Pluzhnyk-Hladyr
- Zorian Bezkorovayny
- Maryna Koneva
- Kateryna Mariushkina
- Borys Kosaryev
- Artyom Volokitin
- Roman Minin
- Iara Boubnova
- Viktoria Danyliuk
- Oleksandr Volovodovsky
- Nadiyka Pereviznyk
- Arsen Savadov
- Oleksandr Gnilitsky
- Ilya Chichkan
- Oleksandr Lebediev
- Tetyana Filevska
- Yuriy Vakulenko
- Valentina Myzgina
Institutions
- EIDOS Arts Development Foundation
- Kharkiv Art Museum
- State Tretiakov Gallery
- Museum of Russian Art
- White Square Gallery
- Odessa O. Bleshunov Municipal Museum of Private Collections
- Vyshnivetsky Palace and Park
- Kharkiv Literary Museum
- Sevastopol M. Kroshytsky Art Museum
- Green Pyramid Gallery
- Kyiv National Toy Museum
- National Art Museum of Ukraine
- ARTMargins Online
- SOSka
- Artists Anonymous
Locations
- Kyiv
- Ukraine
- Kharkiv
- Sevastopol
- Odessa
- Ternopil oblast
- Moscow
- Russia
- Berlin
- Germany
- Slovakia
- Romania
- Sweden
- Estonia
- United States
- Poland
- Yalta
- Lviv