“Is it a Ray or a Night” — an exhibition of Odesa-based video art and actionism about the impact of social and cultural fractures on modern society
22.01.2024 2024-01-23 12:55“Is it a Ray or a Night” — an exhibition of Odesa-based video art and actionism about the impact of social and cultural fractures on modern society
“Is it a Ray or a Night” — an exhibition of Odesa-based video art and actionism about the impact of social and cultural fractures on modern society
From 2 February to 3 March, the Museum of Odesa Modern Art, together with the Odesa Museum of Western and Eastern Art, will implement the project “Is it a Ray or a Night”. The project presents artists such as Dmytro Ehrlich, Mykola Karabinovych, Andrii Liubov, PLOT, Oleksandr Roitburd, Alyona Tokovenko, Viktoriia Khoroshylova, Nadiia Shoshina, curated by Anna Morokhovska and Andrii Siguntsov.
“Adrenaline is wearing off in society, and we are returning to a period of misunderstanding. It is important to find a space in which to reach an agreement. Dialogue is an exchange that transforms both sides. The conditions for dialogue are now almost non-existent. Should we give up on dialogue? No. It is important to find a common understanding of values with people of different views and try to talk, regardless of the circumstances,” the curators say.
Throughout our lives, we learn from the society in which we live, finding our own role models. We become like them and thus strive for development. Therefore, at the beginning of the exhibition, the viewer is greeted by a work by Oleksandr Roitburd, who was an important figure in the formation of Odesa video art.
It is followed by Dmytro Ehrlich’s Lunch with the Artist, which demonstrates the repetition of the “master”, encouraging the viewer to join the lunch and become participants in the performance on an equal footing with the artists.
A series of performances by Andriy Lyubov touches upon the theme of reuniting society in everyday moments. While his neighbouring group PLOT addresses the problems that permeate humanity with their colourful actions.
The next hall, dedicated to the struggle that is destroying our society, opens with a work by Victoria Khoroshilova, symbolising the pain caused by the war, which both the earth and the human being are experiencing.
Society forces us to imitate it in order to be accepted, and those who resist this “rule” are accepted with great difficulty.
In her work, Nadiia Shoshyna is looking for acceptance outside the framework established by society.
The obstacles built around us are symbolised by the work of Alyona Tokovenko, in which the sound that pierces the ear and the “skin” that absorbs you do not allow you to go further.
The final work of the exhibition warns of the consequences of blindly following a “teacher” who has turned into a tyranny: a video artwork by Mykola Karabinovych, which refers to the death of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
“We must finally learn how to build bridges between groups with different experiences, different visions and different emotional components, but united by one goal – building a society where everyone’s rights are protected, a country with a successful economy and the ability to protect its citizens. We do not know whether we are in the middle of this war or at the very beginning. We cannot postpone solving complex issues until later. We need to look for solutions now,” the curators add.
Participants of the exhibition:
Dmytro Ehrlich
Mykola Karabinovych
Andriy Lyubov
PLOT
Oleksandr Roitburd
Alyona Tokovenko
Victoria Khoroshylova
Nadiia Shoshyna
The exposition is being prepared with the technical support of the NGO Development Centre.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXHIBITION AND CONTACTS:
The exhibition is curated by Anna Morokhovska and Andriy Siguntsov.
The opening of the exhibition “Is it a Ray or Night” will take place on 2 February at 3 p.m. at 9 Pushkinska Street.
The exhibition “Is it a Ray or Night” will run from 2 February to 3 March 2024.
