One of the most successful wartime art projects in Ukraine is the retrospective exhibition «Alla Horska. Boryviter», held this year at the Ukrainian House and attended by a record number of visitors. The exhibition, whose impact on Ukrainian society has been described as a «national catharsis», was curated by artist and art historian Olena Grozovska. Sestry spoke with Olena about the state of the Ukrainian art market in wartime, the phenomenon of the Alla Horska exhibition and Russian global cultural expansion, which should be perceived as a special operation.
«The tragedy of Bykivnia echoes what is happening now in the de-occupied territories»
Oksana Goncharuk: Why do you think the Alla Horska exhibition became a sensation in Ukraine? She is not Van Gogh, whose name alone would attract so many people…
Olena Grozovska: We have been working on Alla Horska for years, studying her work and creating an archive of Ukrainian unofficial art, called Ukrainian Unofficial. It focuses on the profiles of artists from Kyiv and Lviv who went beyond the confines of the socialist realist canon. Alla Horska is one of the stars of this art.
This was not just an exhibition but a kind of research project. Everything came together: our previous work, the collaboration between the Dukat auction house and the strong team at the Ukrainian House. The complex space of the building was cleverly utilised. It resulted in a story rich in meanings: in addition to visual material, there was historical context. People are now eager, they seek answers to their questions in the past.
People resonated with the story of Horska’s persecution and murder, as well as the destruction of her mosaics in Mariupol by Russian occupiers. All of this struck a nerve and resonated. In the end, approximately 51 thousand people visited the exhibition over one and a half months - a record for the Ukrainian House
- You mentioned that it was like a national catharsis...
- Yes, especially in the last days, when people realised they needed to hurry, and crowds flocked to the exhibition. I saw so many tears in the eyes of those leaving the Bykivnia Hall… You know, we did not aim to frighten or move anyone, but it worked that way because people internalised everything. The past is also linked to the present, and the tragedy of Bykivnia resonates with what is happening now in the de-occupied territories, with mass graves of Ukrainians murdered and tortured by Russian occupiers.
And when people understand that the evil of the 1930s remains unpunished, that it has resurfaced and returned, there is a shock. This continuity feels like a connection between one person’s biography and the broader historical canvas
The success of the exhibition is gratifying, but it is also a challenge, as each subsequent event must be on par. We are now working on a new project, which we hope will take place next year - also at the Ukrainian House. We will showcase several of our unofficial artists who worked after World War II.
«Right now, we simply need major exhibitions at the world’s top venues to make our presence known»
- At the start of the war, the director of the Hermitage said that exhibitions of Russian art are also a special operation and a «major cultural offensive». Is it happening worldwide now?
- As long as Russia exists, this special operation will continue. But perhaps for the first time, its mechanisms have come to light - things we felt but did not fully comprehend can now be examined.
In the West, people do not see them because this does not directly affect their culture. We are the nearest victim, and this monster is built on the theft of our culture and identity.
For Russians, it is important to continue destroying us because our history and culture have been appropriated, and only by erasing the witness to these crimes can they continue promoting their so-called «great Russian culture»
Unfortunately, there are few platforms from which we can speak about this, but it is essential to do so, as this phenomenon has reached colossal proportions over the last 15-20 years.
- Do you monitor these processes?
- Yes. Russian global cultural expansion is unprecedented, and it is a deliberate policy. The enormous number of Russian exhibitions held at the world's finest museums was intended to showcase the greatness of their culture. I have published articles on what we could counterpose to Russia, but they have proven insufficient.
In 2018, St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican hosted a grand exhibition «The Russian Way: From Dionysius to Malevich», curated by the renowned Russian art historian Arkady Ippolitov. There was a report showing Putin with the Pope kissing icons at the exhibition. At that time, Crimea was already annexed, the war in Ukraine was ongoing, and the Russians wanted to portray themselves as simply «reviving and reclaiming what rightfully belongs to them».
The exhibition featured works by Malevich and Kramskoy - that is, Ukrainians appropriated by Russia! Today, we ask why the Pope articulates entirely pro-Russian imperial views. It is because this work has been ongoing for years, even centuries. We are now trying to change this situation in emergency mode. But to change it, we at least need to understand how the art institution system in the West operates, what narratives to bring, and how to tell our story. Russia has long studied this and uses it for its hybrid influence.
Now, they are less successful because it is challenging to kill people with one hand while showcasing «masterpieces of great Russian culture» with the other. That is why I am practically shouting that we urgently need major exhibitions that tell the world about us from the world’s best platforms.
- Can you give examples of Ukraine’s collaboration with international art institutions during the war?
- For example, the National Art Museum is touring its exhibition of Ukrainian modernist art worldwide. But there needs to be more of this.
We have been, and continue to be, robbed by the Russians, but we have something unique to show, as our art is original. The same Horska exhibition could be interesting in the West. Yes, it must be presented in different contexts there. But I cannot say that any official in Ukraine is interested in showcasing Alla Horska abroad.
- What should we do then? You recently spoke with Zelenskyy; perhaps you told him about the lack of a strategy for promoting Ukrainian culture...
- Yes, the President of Ukraine and his wife visited the Alla Horska exhibition. As the curator, I was pleased that the exhibition was appreciated at such a high level. But cultural strategies are not a matter for the President, that is what the Ministry of Culture is for. The President cannot handle everything in the country, as he has priority tasks. The real question is why state institutions are not working.
- Compared to the Russians, whose museums are filled to the brim with masterpieces stolen from Ukraine alone, will we have enough arguments to showcase our Ukrainian uniqueness?
- We cannot even come close to comparing the number of works of historical significance in Ukraine to what the Russians have. The empire extracted everything from the territories under its control. My God, how many of Ukraine's prime masterpieces are in their museums... For example, at the Tretyakov Gallery, the old art section opens with our St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki, stolen after the demolition of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery. Nowhere does it mention that this is a Kyiv mosaic, taken to Moscow in the 1930s for three months of safekeeping. They were supposed to return this masterpiece to its homeland, but it remained in Moscow and is now presented as a «masterpiece of Russian art».
I am not even mentioning all the archaeology represented by thousands of artefacts in Russian museums. Moscow vacuumed up valuable items from Chernihiv and Kyiv regions. This needs to be discussed so that the West starts to see Russia as a colonial empire, which it somehow is not perceived as globally.
At the same time, we still have a wealth of unique art that deserves to be shown. Ukrainian icons are underexplored and yet to be discovered by the world. Our fantastic modernism - yes, few works have survived, but even the collection of the National Art Museum of Ukraine, currently touring abroad, elicits awe.
Because in the West, they did not know that Ukraine has its own national modernism of such calibre
We can also discuss post-war art, namely the late modernism of the 1960s-70s - these are also very unique philosophies. People behind the Iron Curtain created their own artistic worlds - unlike any other. And there is a demand for this.
- If you were talking to a foreigner and wanted to tell them about our art, where would you start to make an impression on someone «not in the know»?
- I would start based on who I am speaking to and the background of my interlocutor. To some, I would tell about how St. Sophia of Kyiv preserves the most complete ensemble of authentic mosaics and frescoes from the 11th century in the world. To others, about Ukrainian avant-garde, about Malevich, Exter and Bohomazov. About the powerful folk tradition, which in the 20th century blossomed into the phenomena of Mariya Prymachenko and Kateryna Bilokur. About Ukrainian Baroque. About Pinsel and Arkhypenko. And to some, I would tell about modern Ukrainian artists.
«We decided: if it came to it - we would shoot back»
- Did you leave Kyiv at the start of the war?
- No, my husband and I decided to stay, even though Kyiv emptied in the first weeks, and it was quite an eerie sight. We decided: if it came to it, we would shoot back, but under no circumstances would these monsters force us to leave, abandoning our land.
All of this is frightening, but on the other hand - it is interesting. This experience changes a person and provides a valuable sense of perspective that is unavailable in ordinary life. Plus, such events crystallise the understanding of who is who around you.
- I know that you and your husband - the well-known collector and gallery owner Leonid Komsky - have a substantial collection of Ukrainian art. What happened to it after February 24th?
- It is in a safe place. Most of the works are post-war and contemporary Ukrainian art, as well as works by 20th-century Ukrainian emigrant artists.
- Do you currently feel inspired to paint?
- I did not paint for the first year, but then I gradually began to thaw. Sometimes I sell my works at charity auctions, and this is my contribution to the boys on the front. We also raise funds for the Armed Forces of Ukraine through concerts (Olena is also the founder and lead singer of the band «GrozovSka band» - Author).
- Zhadan said that it is too early to write about the war, first, it must be experienced.
- I do not consider myself among those who knew the war was coming, as I thought people could not be so bloodthirsty and foolish. But already a few years before the full-scale invasion, terrifying and strange plots began to appear in my mind that I did not fully understand. Many of my works dealt with some horrors, dark subjects with heavy energy. Military themes began to emerge as well. So something was indeed ripening subconsciously, and I was picking up on these vibes.
- What is the mood among Ukrainian artists and in the art market right now?
- The art market has suffered greatly, and everyone is finding their own survival strategies. But the mood among everyone is this: despite everything, with gritted teeth, we work towards victory and do not succumb to despair. And that is important because these recent massive attacks on our cities are meant to make people lose heart, flee, give up, and ask for negotiations. But we do not.
At commercial Ukrainian auctions, prices for certain contemporary Ukrainian artists have risen and exceeded 100 thousand dollars
Ukrainians are now buying more Ukrainian art - it is a trend. People have less wealth, but there is a growing appreciation for the value of our artists and craftsmen.
The international art market, unfortunately, operates on different figures for now. Currently, there are no personalities in Ukraine who can be classified among the top international artists.
I’m Fine as a profile picture for Ukrainians
- Groundbreaking things are happening in the Ukrainian art scene today, but it is driven by individual enthusiasm, whereas there is no state strategy...
- There needs to be a deliberate policy, at least to ensure that what goes abroad to represent Ukraine does not devalue perceptions of it. Let’s be frank, sometimes things happen that are embarrassing. And there are breakthroughs, spot-on hits. This recently happened at the Burning Man festival in America, where Kyiv artist Oleksiy Sai presented his work I’m Fine in the Nevada Desert.
- Oh, I saw it. It is a huge sculpture made from war artefacts and is a perfect capture of the situation.
- Yes, it is a bitter irony, as the text is made from our road signs shot up by the Russians, but it is about each of us, about how we, Ukrainians, piece together this «I’m fine» within ourselves and try to survive and regenerate. And that is why there was such a sincere reaction, such a wow effect - people started using this I’m Fine as their profile pictures.
Today, it is not enough just to have a piece of art. We live in an era of storytelling - you need to tell your story, to reach the minds and hearts of the audience.
We have yet to tell the world our story: they know more or less about our present in terms of the war, but who we are, where we come from, why we were overshadowed by an empire, and the mechanisms of oppression and destruction applied to our culture - all this still needs to be voiced. Because the fact that we managed to survive under such conditions is a miracle. And it happened precisely because of our culture.
Ukrainian journalist, singer and composer (music came first and still is a part of her life). She began her journalism career by writing for the music magazine «Galas». For many years, she worked as a cultural columnist for the newspaper «KP in Ukraine» and also had experience as the editor-in-chief of the «Atelier» magazine. In recent years, she was a music critic for the publication Vesti.ua, and with the start of the full-scale war, she found her niche as a journalist in the genre of social reporting.
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