Ukraine's Push for First State-Run Museum of Contemporary Art Faces Institutional Hurdles
Since 2004, Ukraine has lacked a state-operated contemporary art museum. To address this, the nonprofit Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA NGO) was founded in 2020, spearheaded by Olya Balashova and Yuliia Hnat, with the support of three expert boards. They advocate for government involvement rather than relying solely on private entities like the PinchukArtCentre. The National Art Museum of Ukraine is viewed as stagnant due to post-Soviet influences. The envisioned collection will span from the 1950s to the present, showcasing artists such as Ada Rybachuk and Volodymyr Melnychenko. Efforts are underway for a Digital Archive and ongoing discussions for a location in downtown Kyiv. The museum intends to confront painful histories and improve art education in Ukraine. This interview took place in Kyiv in August 2021.
Key facts
- Ukraine has no state-run museum of contemporary art, with efforts dating to 2004.
- The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA NGO) was established in 2020 as a nonprofit to develop the museum's concept.
- The initiative involves three boards: Research, Museum, and Organizational-Legal, focusing on collection, spatial design, and legal frameworks.
- Private museums like PinchukArtCentre in Kyiv exist but lack state support.
- The collection would include works from the 1950s onward, featuring Sixtiers artists and contemporary figures.
- A Digital Archive of Ukrainian artists is being created, modeled on Europeana, despite copyright challenges.
- Site plans target downtown Kyiv, with ongoing city administration negotiations.
- Ukraine's 2022 Venice Biennale participation featured Pavlo Makov's project The Fountain of Exhaustion, curated by Boris Filonenko.
Entities
Artists
- Svitlana Biedarieva
- Olya Balashova
- Yuliia Hnat
- Ada Rybachuk
- Volodymyr Melnychenko
- Alla Horska
- Pavlo Makov
- Maryna Shcherbenko
- Maria Kulikovska
- Tetiana Kochubynska
- Boris Filonenko
- Liza German
- Maria Lanko
- Timothy Snyder
- Yevhen Hlibovytsky
Institutions
- Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA NGO)
- PinchukArtCentre
- Museum of Modern Art of Odesa
- Korsaks’ Museum of Contemporary Ukrainian Art
- National Art Museum of Ukraine
- Foundation Izolyatsia
- Europeana
- Ministry of Culture
- Venice Biennale
- R.E.P. (Revolutionary Experimental Space)
- ARTMargins Online
Locations
- Ukraine
- Kyiv
- Odesa
- Lutsk
- Venice
- Italy
- Crimea
- Babyn Yar
- Eastern Europe
- Soviet Union