Lying at the heart of Kadan's works is the historical past in the form of ideologies, art and acts of political violence. He immerses himself in (Ukrainian) avant-garde and interacts with Ukraine's history of the past century. Led by a keen sense of relevance, Kadan speaks about history as applicable to hear and now. However, the exhibition goes beyond historical facts, examining political violence embedded in binary worldviews. It makes the issue of memory the subject of artistic expression, demonstrating and contrasting political wounds that were inflicted on it.
The book is available on the Yakaboo online store.
The exhibition at the PinchukArtCentre is open until 15 August 2021, Tuesday through Sunday, from noon to 9 p.m. Free admission.
Exhibition curator: Björn Geldhof
Curator assistant and commissioning editor: Kateryna Iakovlenko
Exposition architect and designer: Dana Kosmina
Authors: PinchukArtCentre art director Björn Geldhof, modern art researchers Uilleam Blacker, Kateryna Mischenko and Kateryna Iakovlenko
Translators: Iryna Goyal, Sergiy Voynalovych
Ukrainian editor: Yaryna Tsymbal
English editor: Clemens Poole
Graphic and layout designer: Aliona Solomadina
Photos in the book courtesy of Maksym Bilousov.
Nikita (Mykyta) Kadan was born in Kyiv in 1982. In 2007, he graduated from the National Academy of Fine Art (Kyiv) where he studied at the on department of monumental painting. Nikita Kadan is a member of the group of artists R.E.P. (Revolutionary Experimental Space) since 2004 and co-founder and member of the HUDRADA, group of curators and activities, since 2008. He is the main prize winner of the PinchukArtCentre Prize 2011 and a special prize winner of the Future Generation Art Prize 2014. Participant of Venice, Istanbul, Kyiv, Busan biennials. The works of Nikita Kadan feature in collections of such museums as Pinakothek der Moderne (Munich), MUMOK Museum Contemporary Art (Vienna), MuHKa Museum of Contemporary Art (Antwerp), Museum of Modern Art (Warsaw) (Poland), Military History Museum (Dresden), National Art Museum( Kyiv).