An online exhibition about the life of Chornobyl Polissia "DARK PARADISE" has been opened
We are pleased to announce that on April 25, an online exhibition about the life of Chornobyl Polissia "DARK PARADISE" was opened on the website of Ukrainian House National Center
Author and curator of the project — ZINAIDA
Co-curator, architect of the online exhibition — Waldemart Klyuzko
The concept of the DARK PARADISE project is based on the manifestations of life in the Chornobyl zone after 35 years of devastation and destruction. After all, abandoned lands have revived and carry their own unique code. The exhibition presents more than 12 different projects, including:
Installation "Iconostases" ( ZINAIDA) is about an icon corner in a house, as a family altar, which was decorated with a rushnyk. There is light instead of images of saints, and picturesque flowers – simple, natural – from the art works of ZINAIDA and Ihor Rudenia instead of traditional embroidery on ryshnuks.
The exhibition "Dark Paradise" presents for the first time the paintings by Ihor Rudenia, an artist who created his own world in the wildlife of the zone. His interlocutors are wild animals: badgers, beavers, moose, deer, he shares walnut trees with squirrels, fish – with cats, and prey – with wolves. A small yard. Harmony and warmth in a cosy house. Electricity is provided by wind. People come here occasionally. In his works, the artist depicts carefully and deliberately the surrounding space and his special worldview. The exhibition presents 17 paintings out of 72 created during over 15 years of living in the area.
Author and curator of the project — ZINAIDA
Co-curator, architect of the online exhibition — Waldemart Klyuzko
The concept of the DARK PARADISE project is based on the manifestations of life in the Chornobyl zone after 35 years of devastation and destruction. After all, abandoned lands have revived and carry their own unique code. The exhibition presents more than 12 different projects, including:
Installation "Iconostases" ( ZINAIDA) is about an icon corner in a house, as a family altar, which was decorated with a rushnyk. There is light instead of images of saints, and picturesque flowers – simple, natural – from the art works of ZINAIDA and Ihor Rudenia instead of traditional embroidery on ryshnuks.
The exhibition "Dark Paradise" presents for the first time the paintings by Ihor Rudenia, an artist who created his own world in the wildlife of the zone. His interlocutors are wild animals: badgers, beavers, moose, deer, he shares walnut trees with squirrels, fish – with cats, and prey – with wolves. A small yard. Harmony and warmth in a cosy house. Electricity is provided by wind. People come here occasionally. In his works, the artist depicts carefully and deliberately the surrounding space and his special worldview. The exhibition presents 17 paintings out of 72 created during over 15 years of living in the area.
Installation "Spohad" (Memory) is one of 15 000 children's micro-stories of Prypiat – a memory of the happy childhood of a ten-year-old boy, Vitalii Tatarchuk, who lived with his family in a young flowering city. He went to kindergarten and school, was fond of aircraft design, went with his dad to the country house in the forest... 30 years after the accident, he returned to the city of childhood, to the once abandoned apartment. The exhibition includes a video tour of the town of Prypiat, an exhibition of children's drawings by Vitalii and photos of Prypiat before the accident.
Photo presentation "Rescuers of Ukrainian Atlantis" consists of the photos taken during 1994 – 2016 at the time of field research of the historical and ethnographic expedition of the State Scientific Center for Protection of Cultural Heritage from Technogenic Disasters (SSCPCHTD).
Installation "Shchaslyvi" (Blessed) is represented by photographs of different years from the archives of the SSCPCHTD, made during meetings with residents of the Chornobyl zone. In the photos are people who, despite the difficult living conditions in the area, stay there – they are in their homeland. While watching the exhibition, the audience will hear fragments of live speech.
Installation "Shchaslyvi" (Blessed) is represented by photographs of different years from the archives of the SSCPCHTD, made during meetings with residents of the Chornobyl zone. In the photos are people who, despite the difficult living conditions in the area, stay there – they are in their homeland. While watching the exhibition, the audience will hear fragments of live speech.
Video "Rooted" (ZINAIDA) is about the visit of a carolling group of volunteers to the residents of the exclusion zone on Orthodox New Year. The video shows the happiness of the meeting, documentary footage of daily life, communication, mutual congratulations with Christmas carols and shchedrivkas (folk songs) of the hosts and guests.
Installation "Bread. Revival" (ZINAIDA) – a loaf baked by a researcher of ceremonial bread Oksana Barabash. The bread was shared with the locals of the exclusion zone as a symbol of faith in the revival of the devastated Chornobyl region. The ethnographic field materials that formed the basis of this work were provided by Doctor of Historical Sciences Olena Boriak.
Photo project "Natives" (Serhii Mykhalchuk) is about people's unconditional love for life and their ability to share this feeling with everyone who steps on the threshold of their homes. Photo portraits were created during a visit to residents of the Chornobyl zone in 2021.
Installation "Klasy" (Peevers) (Waldemart Klyuzko) is a successful comparison of innocent children's game with serious consequences due to carelessness and irresponsibility. The installation elements remind us step by step of the vigilance of our own actions, otherwise the consequences will be expressed in numbers and units. Mirrors and coloured film are used for the installation.
Installation "Zazemleno" (Grounded) (Waldemart Klyuzko) is the author's vision conveyed through metal: photo printing on galvanized sheet, baskets woven of aluminium wire and plates with the inscription "Zazemleno".
Installation "Bortnytsvo" (Wild-honey farming) aims to convey the depth of Chornobyl Polissya traditions presenting one of the original cultural phenomena – honey hunting. The project includes photos from the archives of SSCPCHTD and the video "Wildlife Traditions" by ZINAIDA.
Installation "Zazemleno" (Grounded) (Waldemart Klyuzko) is the author's vision conveyed through metal: photo printing on galvanized sheet, baskets woven of aluminium wire and plates with the inscription "Zazemleno".
Installation "Bortnytsvo" (Wild-honey farming) aims to convey the depth of Chornobyl Polissya traditions presenting one of the original cultural phenomena – honey hunting. The project includes photos from the archives of SSCPCHTD and the video "Wildlife Traditions" by ZINAIDA.
Installation "Bortnytsvo" (Wild-honey farming) aims to convey the depth of Chornobyl Polissya traditions presenting one of the original cultural phenomena – honey hunting. The project includes photos from the archives of SSCPCHTD and the video "Wildlife Traditions" by ZINAIDA.
The exhibition also includes other works by artists who reflect on the topic of life in the Chornobyl zone.
Project team:
Author and curator — ZINAIDA artist, culture activist
Co-curator, architect of the online exhibition — Waldemart Klyuzko
Ethnographer, consultant, Doctor of Historical Sciences, employee of SSCPCHTD — Olena Boriak
Ethnographer, consultant, employee of SSCPCHTD — Natalia Leshchenko
Researcher of traditions of bread backing, natural nutrition expert — Oksana Barabash
Artist — Ihor Rudenia
Cinematographer, photographer — Serhii Mykhalchuk
Project coordinator — Natalia Rudnyk
Co-organizers:
Ukrainian House National Center, State Scientific Center for Protection of Cultural Heritage from Technogenic Disasters (SSCPCHTD)
For more information, please email Zinaida at [email protected]
Author and curator — ZINAIDA artist, culture activist
Co-curator, architect of the online exhibition — Waldemart Klyuzko
Ethnographer, consultant, Doctor of Historical Sciences, employee of SSCPCHTD — Olena Boriak
Ethnographer, consultant, employee of SSCPCHTD — Natalia Leshchenko
Researcher of traditions of bread backing, natural nutrition expert — Oksana Barabash
Artist — Ihor Rudenia
Cinematographer, photographer — Serhii Mykhalchuk
Project coordinator — Natalia Rudnyk
Co-organizers:
Ukrainian House National Center, State Scientific Center for Protection of Cultural Heritage from Technogenic Disasters (SSCPCHTD)
For more information, please email Zinaida at [email protected]