Antiwar Coalition Platform Launched by Belarusian and Ukrainian Curators
What started as an alternative Belarusian pavilion for the 59th Venice Biennale has transformed into a digital space for showcasing antiwar and anti-colonial artwork from countries like Austria, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine. Curators Valentina Kiselyova and Tatiana Kochubinska are leading this initiative, which is part of a European Pavilion that was formed in 2020. They kicked off their first event in Rome between November 17 and 19, 2022. The platform has also made appearances at Documenta Fifteen and Manifesta in 2022. It invites video contributions that tackle themes of war and colonialism, prioritizing marginalized artists while not including Russian creators who don’t have a decolonial perspective. They also organize exhibitions and workshops to promote antiwar video art and digital solidarity.
Key facts
- Platform evolved from alternative Belarusian pavilion at 59th Venice Biennale
- Curatorial team includes 8 members from Belarus and Ukraine
- Part of European Pavilion program by European Cultural Foundation (launched 2020)
- First bi-annual event in Rome November 17–19, 2022
- Presented at Documenta Fifteen (Kassel) and Manifesta (Prishtina) in 2022
- Open repository for antiwar video art with moderation
- Excludes Russian artists unless they have decolonial practice
- Offline events include screenings, discussions, workshops
Entities
Artists
- Valentina Kiselyova
- Anna Chistoserdova
- Antonina Stebur
- Lena Prents
- Maxim Tyminko
- Aleksander Komarov
- Tatiana Kochubinska
- Natasha Chychasova
- Sasha Razor
- Uladzimir Hramovich
- Foti Benlisoy
- Katarzyna Wojtczak
- Kateryna Aliinyk
- Nigel Clark
- Diana Lelonek
- Alevtina Kakhidze
- Kateryna Lysovenko
- Marina Naprushkina
- Daria Sazanovich
- Laura Huertas Millán
- Nikolay Karabinovych
- Vladimir Miladinović
Institutions
- International Coalition of Cultural Workers Against the War in Ukraine
- Ambasada Kultury
- European Cultural Foundation
- European Pavilion
- Documenta Fifteen
- Manifesta
- ZKM (Centre for Art and Media) Karlsruhe
- PinchukArtCentre
- University of California, Los Angeles
- University of Michigan Library
- Galeria Arsenał
- Obieg
- ARTMargins Online
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Rome
- Kassel
- Germany
- Prishtina
- Kosovo
- Berlin
- Poznan
- Poland
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Georgia
- India
- Mexico
- Netherlands
- Serbia
- South Africa
- Turkey
- United Kingdom
- Ukraine
- Russia