Where Do We Go From Here?

A multitude of daily ecological risk scenarios have occupied artists since the mid 20th century, enriching environmentalist perspectives and giving insights into particular cases or general tendencies. However, in recent decades the possibility of man-made catastrophic collapse on a planetary scale has become much more palpable, urging experts in various disciplines to search for solutions.

The basic prerequisites for environmental awareness and activism could be found, according to Kirkpatrick Sale, in the sense of locality, as the nearer always has priority over the more remote. On the other hand, attachments to larger entities such as the state or transnational organisations could also trigger the environmentally “correct” behaviour. Hence, plurality and dialogue transcending differences and borders should serve as a guiding light to environment-friendly consciousness; as well as perception of the interconnectedness and personal responsibility that people should act on.

Starting from a deeply personal self-reflective analysis and search for long-lost unity with nature in Oleksandr McQuartz’s self-portrait with snails and ending up with Alina Maksymenko's film that suggests the existence of a universal language, the exhibition invites the viewer to explore diverse environmental issues. These include the human-nature relationships, global and local ecological problems, future visions and effects of the exploitation of natural resources. Applying varied mediums, the artists bring in emotional, critical, futuristic and retrospective takes on aforementioned topics.

A purely rhetorical question that gives a name to the exhibition Where Do We Go From Here? marks a need to examine the current state of affairs and assume a position. This task is not an easy one, and therefore the exhibition does not aim at providing any definite answers, but rather facilitates an exchange of thoughts and encourages environmental awareness among visitors.

Curator:
Kateryna Filyuk

Artists:
Viktor Arefiev, Mykhailo Barabash, Oleksiy Berezovsky, Tetyana Borychok and gypsyPetya, Oksana Chepelyk, Kseniya Hnylytska, Hryhorii Hudachenko, Borys Kashapov, Alina Khorolska, Andriy Koskovtsev, Krolikowski Art, Olga Kukush, Pavlo Lysyi, Alina Lytvynenko, Yuliya Makliuk, Alina Maksymenko, Oleksandr McQuartz, Maria Proshkovska and Andriy Lyubov, Maria Rakhimova, Yevhen Samborsky, Alyona Shibunova, Marina Shkarupa, Vitaliy Shuplyak, Volodymyr Shypotylnikov, Bohdan Tomashevsky, Iryna Zamuruyeva.