Why Uzhhorod is a new art capital of Ukraine

26

October

2017

Odesa is for dance on the beach and cruise collections of Ukrainian designers, Lviv - for jazz and gastro-satisfaction, Uzhhorod is for art. The last combination is not yet obvious, but for the formation of an international art centre in the west of Ukraine there are already several prerequisites: next year a large-scale art space with museums, galleries and other art objects will be opened in Uzhhorod, with an exhibition area being ​​over 10,000 square meters. And since 2016 it has been held a student contest in painting "Silver Easel".

Its founders, Robert and Nataliya Brovdi, also established Brovdi Art family foundation, which was created to promote and support projects in the field of art and culture. They have been living in Kyiv for many years: Robert is a successful entrepreneur, an active collector, and patron of art, Nataliya is a frequent guest on charitable events and fashion shows, and she actively supports young Ukrainian designers and fashion industry as a whole. However, their greatest and the most ambitious art project the couple decided to start from Uzhhorod - their home town, where 90 years ago Yosyp Bokshai and Adalbert Erdeli founded a public drawing school on the basis of which it was formed a Transcarpathian school of painting - unique and internationally recognized school.

Robert and Nataliya Brovdi

Creating “Silver Easel”, Nataliya and Robert decided to work according to all the rules from the very beginning: applications and portfolio of works are submitted by young artists directly through the website, after which they are encrypted and submitted to the selection by an independent expert council. To take part in the contest are students from all countries. And the authoritative jury, consists of the key representatives of contemporary art of Ukraine - artists, curators and art critics will evaluate the contestants at the final stages.

Hanna Kozeletska

Among them - the most expensive Ukrainian artist Anatolii Kryvolap, whose works are auctioned for $ 70,000, the People's Artists of Ukraine Viktor Sydorenko and Volodymyr Mykyta, one of the leaders of the "Ukrainian New Wave" Oleh Tistol, a curator of the PinchukArtCentre Oleskandr Soloviov, an artist who works in London and Munich, a curator Pavlo Kerestei, one of the most respected Ukrainian art critics and art historians Halyna Skliarenko, a painter, collage artist and photographer Serhii Sviatchenko, who for the first time in 27 years came from Denmark to Ukraine for the contest.

Oleh Tistol

Volodymyr Mykyta

The works of most of them are well-known and regularly exhibited in Kyiv art spaces. About the latter people know less in Ukraine, what cannot be said about the rest of the world. Serhii Sviatchenko was born in Kharkiv, where he studied art and architecture. In the 80s he headed the Centre for Contemporary Art in Kyiv, and in 1990 he moved to Denmark with his family. His abstract and somehow surreal works were exhibited in Denmark, Germany, Italy, France, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. He was written about by Dazed & Confused, AnOther, Viewpoint and Blueprint. And since 2009 he has run his own fashion blog and published Close Up and Private magazine about photography and men's style.

Interest in the fashion industry in Uzhhorod brought the artist together with the Kyiv guests of the contest – a designer Ivan Frolov, as well as Iryna Danylevska and Volodymyr Nechyporuk from Ukrainian Fashion Week who came to support Nataliya and Robert and discuss possible co-operation in the future.

Nataliya Brovdi, Serhii Sviatchenko

In addition to the members of the jury, the list of official contest partners looks not less impressive: Igor Abramovych is a well-known Ukrainian art dealer and curator who successfully promotes Ukrainian artists at the world auctions of Sotheby's, Christie's, Phillips; Julia and Max Voloshyn - the founders of the Voloshyn Gallery, a contemporary art gallery, authors and curators of numerous art projects; Kostiantyn Kozhemiako - the founder of the Foundation for Cultural Initiatives and ArtHuss art publishing house; Sergei Makhno - a well-known Ukrainian designer, architect, founder and head of the architectural studio "Sergey Makhno architects"; Oleksandr and Tamara Babak – the artists and co-founders of the art residence "Velykyi Pereviz".

Igor Abramovych

332 students from Ukraine, Belarus, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, and Poland sent their applications for participation in the third contest, which was held in Uzhhorod on 9-14 October. 50 artists became the finalists. The competition was held in three stages: in the first stage the participants painted the cityscape in Uzhhorod and Khust, the second day - self-portraits, and the third day was for improvisation.

Vladyslav Ryaboshtan

Yakiv Burda

Appraisals were made based solely on the works presented, while the authorship was revealed after the announcement of the results. "I believe that any form of spontaneous evaluation is very useful for artists. To evaluate, see the work’s idea, understand whether the development of the participant is possible in the context of contemporary art - it is not difficult for professionals," Serhii Sviatchenko comments. All winners of the contest, in addition to cash prizes, received professional prizes from the partners and Brovdi Art - the opportunity to exhibit their works in Ukrainian galleries, to become members of an art residence, to visit world-famous museums in Rome, Paris, and Bilbao (Spain).

To imagine that such an event can be organized by a state institution is impossible in modern realities. All participants are paid for accommodation and transfer, they are provided with materials and an opportunity to get acquainted with the most influential art-insiders, and the best - awards and grants really necessary for young artists. Robert and Nataliya promise that the next contest will be held, and we are sure - this is just the beginning.

BESTIN UA