With the support of the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Kyiv at the end of the year-round celebrations of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the independent Slovak Republic (01.01.1993)

           


The exhibition celebrates the 30th anniversary of the proclamation of the Slovak Republic and at the same time expresses its support for Ukraine in these difficult times. The gallery features artists of different genres and generations who, in one way or another, convey their feelings of confusion and embarrassment about the war and express their concerns. Thanks to the support of the Slovak Embassy in Ukraine, we can see how Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has affected the creativity of painters and sculptors, and how some works are perceived in a completely different way in wartime, evoking different associations and visions.

Thus, at the beginning of the war, Ján Vasilko began to create new paintings that differ in subject matter and gloomy, depressive forms. The example of his works shows how the artist’s creativity changes when a brutal war is going on in a neighboring country.

Svetlana Fialová’s works allow the viewer to understand how our reality has changed through the prism of art. The artist’s chaotic, detailed drawings do not directly reflect Ukraine’s struggle with Russia, but in the new world, we perceive them in a completely different way. The works resemble the internal state of almost every Ukrainian, as well as people from all over the world. After the start of the large-scale invasion, we are experiencing a storm of emotions, namely confusion about the present and the future.

Bohdan Hostiňák presents two works that fascinate with their colors and themes. For example, the 2019 work “The Glow” seems to foreshadow an impending threat in the form of a deer with flaming antlers. The painting from 2022 can directly symbolize Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine and the brave resistance of Ukrainians and all other countries that support it. Interestingly, the painting depicts a frozen tense moment in which only the viewer decides whether the caterpillar will topple the mountain or be crushed under it.

For the exhibition in Kyiv, Jozef Pilát has created an interactive work that will allow viewers to share their vision of Ukraine and their wishes. In this way, the artist expresses his support and solidarity with Ukraine.

This new project also refers to the exhibition of Slovak artists “Затишшя / Calm (still life) / Zátišie”, which was shown in the Tsekh Gallery from December 2021 to February 22.

Curator Oksana Hoshko