Identity. Behind the Curtain of Uncertainty – one of the major exhibitions of this decade of the North Eastern European contemporary art will open to public at the National Art museum of Ukraine on 19 March. The works by more than 30 artists from nine countries will be exhibited over the two museum floors.
Museum’s visitors will be able to choose from a broad programme of events up until the closing day on 22 May, featuring performances, discussions, creative workshops and educational programme. The exhibition has been organised by the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art in partnership with the National Art Museum of Ukraine and the main initiators of this event – the embassies of the Nordic and Baltic States in Ukraine.
The idea behind this immense contemporary art exhibition emerged from the embassies of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden as a solidarity gesture towards the complex political situation in Ukraine in 2013. The exhibition’s curator Solvita Krese, Director of the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, has focused on different aspects that all make up the political, social and national identity, exploring them from a trajectory of the past, present and future. Work rooted in the Ukrainian locality forms one of the main focal points of this exhibition and, as part of this approach, certain international artists explore and re-address the Ukrainian historical heritage – for example, in his installation Artist Unknown Swedish artist Matts Leiderstam reviews NAMU’s collection, emphasising in particular the work by unknown artists, which was perceived as unacceptable during the Soviet period, whilst Lithuanian artist Kristina Inčiūraitė examines the Soviet monuments and their place in our collective memory.
Exhibiting artists: Roman Minin (UA), Open Group (UA), Lesja Zajac (UA), Matts Leiderstam (SWE), Meriç Algün Ringborg (SWE), Mats Adelman (SWE), Joar Nango (NO), The Stitch Project (NO), Ane Hjort Guttu (NO), Ester Fleckner (DK), Gudrun Hasle (DK), Kalle Hamm un Dzamil Kamanger (FIN), Tellervo Kalleinen (FIN), Bita Razavi (FIN), Anna Aizsilniece (LV), Ieva Epnere (LV), Katrīna Neiburga (LV), Tanel Rander (EST), Kristina Norman (EST), Flo Kasearu (EST), Arnas Anskaitis (LT), Eglė Budvytytė (LT), Kristina Inčiūraitė (LT) and Gabríela Friðriksdóttir (IS).
A guided tour with the curator and participating artists will take place a day after the official launch on 19 March at 2pm, which will be followed by a discussion Seeking and Hiding. Looking for common and distinctive traces in Nordic, Baltic, Ukrainian identities with the artists Matts Leiderstam, Kristina Norman and Roman Minin held at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre on 20 March at 1 pm.