Ukraine has been in the news recently for its jailed opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, the preparation of the Euro 2012 cup that will be held in that country together with Poland next June, or for a deputy injured in a physical fight in the Parliament over use of Russian language. But little know that Ukraine is also hosting the first Kiev Biennale of Contemporary Art.
The Biennale curated by David Elliot, a british museum director and curator of the Sydney Biennale in 2008 and 2010, is the first contemporary art event of such importance in that country. The artist selection is the opportunity to see local Ukrainian artists in a global context with their leading international counterparts. Among the locals, we can see established names such as Arsen Savadov, Boris Mikhailov or Ilya&Emilia Kabakov, but also emerging artists as Nikita Kadan, Artem Volokytin or Masha Shubina, who were awarded by the Pinchuk Art Centre Prize.
The exhibition takes place until July 31st, 2012 in the remarkably restored 60 000 square meters Arsenale building, ironically facing the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, one of the historic Orthodox Christian monasteries. By successfully organizing this event with about 250 artwork of more than 100 artists from 30 countries, and also 45 parallel exhibitions in Kiev and throughout the country, Ukraine has shown that it counts in the international world of contemporary art.
More information on arsenale2012.com