In the Eye of the Storm. Modernism in Ukraine
A unique Ukrainian exhibition "In the Eye of the Storm. Modernism in Ukraine" is on view at the Belvedere Museum in Vienna, Austria, until 2 June 2024.
The exhibition showcases modernist art movements in Ukraine in the early 20th century. The exposition reveals the importance of the major cultural centres that determined the nature of artistic life in Ukraine at the beginning of the 20th century – Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa. Lviv and Poltava were also added to the Vienna exhibition.
Thus, in addition to works by such artists as Kazymyr Malevych, El Lysytskyi, Sonia Delaunay, Oleksandra Ekster, Anatol Petrytskyi, Oleksandr Bohomazov, Viktor Palmov, the Belvedere will showcase works by Vsevolod Maksymovych, Vasyl and Fedir Krychevsky, Oleksandr Murashko, Heorhiy Narbut, Mykhailo Zhuk, Abram Manevych, Olena Kulchytska, and others.
“You will see the variety of colours and the strength of lines inherent in modernism, for example, Boychuk's murals. And what a contrast to know that all of this was created during the World War, then the Civil War, Bolshevik terror, and later Stalin's repressions. What a contrast to know that the same Mykhailo Boychuk, the creator of his own school, a man who could give so much to world culture, was shot with his students and wife on charges of nationalism. The Soviet empire gave no chance to those who loved their people. That's what it means to be in the epicentre of the storm – to risk your life every minute, but to find the strength to create,” – stated the First Lady Olena Zelenska at the opening ceremony.
On March 25, 2024, russia bombed the Kyiv Art Academy named after Mykhailo Boychuk. In 1937 the artist was murdered together with two of his students by NKVD agents for their art being too Ukrainian.
Vienna is the third place in Europe to see the collection of Ukrainian modernism. The exhibition was first presented at the National Museum of Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid in autumn 2022, then exhibited at the Ludwig Museum in Cologne and the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Belgium. Later this year, the unique exhibition will be shown in the UK and Bulgaria.
The curatorial team: Konstantin Akinsha, Katia Denysova, Maryna Drobotiuk and Olena Kashuba-Volvach, and the curatorial assistant is Myroslav Halyak.
Lower BelvedereRennweg 6, 1030, ViennaOpening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm
Project page