Oleksandr Roitburd believed that artists naturally have the power to change the world and devoted his life to realizing this vision. He interacted with a vast range of representatives of culture, society, and politics, including the first persons of the state. The artist was an active commentator and direct participant in social events, communicated with representatives of very different political forces, and established contacts with government authorities and influential businesses. He used all these connections to promote contemporary Ukrainian art, of which he was one of the ideologists, and to facilitate its institutionalization.

“The topic of power is extremely relevant in today’s world. Russia’s war against Ukraine has become a frontline of confrontation between dictatorship and democracy. Another global challenge is populism. Oleksandr Roitburd believed in the educational project and the ability of civil society to defend universal values. And he saw uncontrolled power as a threat to both rights and freedoms and to the government itself,” says exhibition curator Kostiantyn Doroshenko.

The selection of works allows us to understand the artist through his perception of the interaction between culture, society and power. The exhibition also features works, documents and artifacts from private collections and the artist’s family.

The architecture of the exhibition was designed by Oleksandr Burlaka. He created a commentary on the figure of Oleksandr Roitburd, based on the artist’s idea and practice of museumification of contemporary art and Odesa, Roitburd’s hometown, which remained his main city wherever he lived.

The exhibition “ Oleksandr Roitburd. The Theorem of Power” is the result of a consistent activity of the PinchukArtCentre’s Research Platform, which comprehends phenomena and personalities important for the history of Ukrainian art. The exhibition project was first shown at the PinchukArtCentre in Kyiv from March 8 to July 14, 2024.

The exhibition will include a parallel discussion program dedicated to the personality of Oleksandr Roitburd and his role in the development of cultural and social processes in Odesa. We hope that the program concept and expected participants will be of interest to you.