Ukrainian ParadiseExhibition within the PAC UA programme
May 31, 2024 — July 14, 2024

Ksenia Hnylytska’s News from the Future is bold and witty prophecies about a utopian future. Which of them will come to be in the Ukrainian Paradise?

At first glance, the series, which Hnylytska began at the start of the full-scale invasion, tells a story of a perfect future that can serve as a refuge from the turbulent present. However, a closer look reveals that the artist’s prophecies indicate points of conflict in Ukrainian society — LGBT freedom, the fate of the churches of the Moscow Patriarchate, the recognition of the equality of many nations on Ukrainian territory. Also noteworthy is the prediction about the disappearance of all “human agents” from the territory of Russia. Hnylytska's work encourages us to answer current questions and thus invent the future. Does the future Ukrainian Paradise really depend on the further history of the aggressor state? Is the equality of different nations and social groups possible in it?

At the same time, News from the Future depicts a technological, futuristic order filled with traditional national images and symbols, prompting us to reflect on their relevance in the future. Could a gigantic holographic monument to a Cossack be a monument of the future?

Yevhen Korshunov's work refers to a quote by Dzhokhar Dudayev, the first president of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. “Russia will disappear when the Ukrainian sun rises,” said Dudayev in the 1990s, predicting a clash between Russia and Ukraine.

In 2022, Korshunov transformed this statement into a question and placed it in a modern context in which uncertainty about the future of Russia and Ukraine is only growing and there are an infinite number of answers to this question. The inscription on the work suggests that the solar panel, which supplies the battery with energy, is waiting for the Ukrainian sun to rise and illuminate the future..

In the context of the exhibition, the work encourages us to think about alternative perspectives of events and provokes the question: "What will happen when the Ukrainian sun rises?".

Andrii Rachynskyi’s work captures the phenomenon known as “Bayraktarshchyna”. This somewhat pejorative umbrella term denotes manifestations of national identity in the context of war in popular culture. Among them, Rachynskyi highlights images, symbols, and slogans that are most idealized by Ukrainians.

Importantly, this phenomenon of bayraktarshchyna fulfills several important functions. Due to its folk nature, bayraktarshchyna is not subject to censorship by higher authorities. It reflects social attitudes, gathers ideas about what is right and what is unacceptable, and ultimately shapes contemporary mythology with its own heroes and stories. At the same time, this snapshot of popular culture allows us to react to events in the quickest and easiest way possible, conveying essential messages and identifying “us” vs. “them,” which is crucial in times of crisis. It can also have a therapeutic effect as it helps to express feelings, talk about dreams and fears, etc.

However, due to its chaotic, reactionary and simplistic nature, bayraktarshchyna cannot and should not meet all communicative and cultural needs. Excessive use of such images in public communication, commemoration and national self-representation is questionable. The same applies to the reproduction of national symbols for commercial purposes, which should actually be regulated by the relevant advertising law, but in reality can be used freely. What does it mean when Dog Patron receives state awards? Why is the monument to the Soviet soldier painted blue and yellow? Why is a Ukrainian flag emblazoned on a shawarma kiosk? — These and many other questions are raised by the work instagram.com/andrey_rachinskiy

After the end of the exhibition, the drone will be handed over to Oleksandr Len, to a combat unit within the NGU Rapid Reaction Brigade "Rubizh"

In Maksym Khodak's work, the dove of peace — a symbol of pacifism and peace in general — cannot fly by itself, but is carried by a drone. The artist thus emphasises that in the reality of an armed invasion, peace is achieved by military means and pacifism is a privilege that belongs to those who live in safety. Moreover, Khodak emphasises that “online activism",” which consists mainly in the excessive use of emojis of the Ukrainian flag and doves of peace, does nothing in contrast to the provision of real military aid. The gap between the symbols of war and its reality reaches the peak of absurdity in this work, which reflects the actual environment. The drone will become its part after the exhibition, as it will fly to the front.

At the same time, at the Ukrainian Paradise exhibition, Dove of Peace Emoji draws attention to the fact that weapons are becoming an object of worship in Ukraine. The drone, which is used to track down and eliminate enemies, looks like a mechanised angel. It hovers menacingly in space, far from the front line, just as the means of destruction are placed in museums and cafés and their images can be found in songs and on murals. In this way, the symbol of a weapon in a different historical context can be detached from its protective purpose, which is relevant today. The war will eventually end, but will the drone remain in the Ukrainian Paradise?

In Kinder Album’s work, a continuous stream of news manifests itself in the form of a giant headphone, terrifying and ridiculous at the same time. As if from a strange dream, it nevertheless bears witness to the strange reality of war, in which the news has invaded personal lives and bodies. The headphone sits firmly on the ear, transmitting information “directly into the head". At the same time, as a sculpture, it emphasises the fact that the noise of the news can be heard constantly in the background.

The disquiet is heightened by the fact that this is the United News Telethon. In connection with the presidential decree on the unified broadcasting of news under the conditions of martial law, the regulation of the telethon is carried out jointly with representatives of the state authorities. This raises the issue of promoting the interests of the ruling political forces, the lack of pluralism and criticism of the authorities in the country’s largest media outlet. In the context of the exhibition, Kinder Album’s work prompts us to think: Will there be united news in the Ukrainian Paradise? So what does “united” mean?

The sun is shining, flowers are blooming and smiling children are handing bombs to a soldier — this is how Kinder Album depicts our wondrous world. The work resembles the drawings in a school album, in which the army and military equipment are painted in bright colours. In this way, the artist identifies a symptom of a mobilised society in which children want to reproduce social ideals and join the fight. The romanticised perception of weapons and the military, to which children and sometimes adults are drawn, is a natural protective reaction of the mind. However, we should remain critical when it erases our awareness of the devastating reality of war, where killing and death are routine.

Kinder Album’s picture enters into a dialogue with Yevhen Korshunov’s work. The burning luminary in the picture seems to ask: Is this the day the Ukrainian sun rose?

Alina Yakubenko’s works from the Arcadia series look like illustrations for a fairy tale, except that all the main characters are dead. On closer inspection, you can see that the dead depicted are soldiers. The uniform and other details indicate that they are Russians. The works resemble children's drawings in which the corpses of the aggressors can be seen alongside rainbows, flowers, and butterflies. Arcadia shows how dead Russians settled in Ukrainian dreams and took a prominent place among the idealised (and therefore often reproduced) images.

It is important that the dead occupiers are depicted in the middle of dense forests. In their decomposition, they merge with the Ukrainian landscape, mixing with the Ukrainian soil and poisoning it with themselves. However, it is not just about the ecological and health consequences: The dead occupiers poison the collective imagination — the death of a human being, a Russian, becomes coveted and romanticised. It is difficult to do anything about the physical presence of poisonous bodies, as well as the need to protect oneself from the enemy. However, it is possible and necessary to think about it: is there a place for dead Russians in Ukrainian Paradise?