Yelyzaveta Derzhovytska
Yelyzaveta Derzhovytska
Anton Shevelov
Evgeniy Maloletka
Anton Shevelov
On Thorns of Evil Ages*
Work by Ukrainian artists created in defiance and defence of their Country
Ukraine’s geographical location has determined its difficult historical fate. For many centuries it has been defending Europe from attacks from the East. This has shaped the character of Ukrainians. They have not only learned to survive the constant raids of their crazy neighbours, but also to live as Ukrainians and defend their national identity through difficult times. So, if you think that Ukraine is in ruins, it is not. There are cities that are almost completely destroyed (e.g. Bakhmut, Izyum). However, in cities, towns, and villages throughout Ukraine there are volunteer groups that work together with special services to clear the rubble after the bombing. Cities are decorated with flowers in summer and New Year’s decorations in winter. The soldiers on the front line ask their families to live as normal and as peaceful a life as possible. They say that this is why they have been living in the trenches for three years and defending their country in incredibly difficult conditions.
The work in this exhibition explores and cements Ukraine as a living country, not one that is beaten and overcome by aggressors. Whilst much of the work refers to the ongoing invasion of the country, what is of pivotal importance is the indomitable spirit of Ukrainians to ensure their country survives and thrives.
*Lina Kostenko, untitled poem, 1962.
Curators:
Nataliia Dniprenko (KNUNKiN Karpenko-Karyi, Ukraine) and Dr. Philip Harris (University of Derby)
Nataliia Dneprenko
Cultural Diplomacy
Online TV programme
This is a volunteer television project created and managed by Dneprenko to unite and support Ukrainians who were forced to flee their country. It is important for Ukrainians to demonstrate their ancient culture and say ‘Thank you for your support’ to the world. The programme is aired once a week on Wednesdays at 15.00, Ukrainian time, and draws upon a network of correspondents from fifteen different countries. The programme has three permanent hosts who take turns making programmes. The programme requires support and partners to help to maintain and further develop this vital service.
Coriolanus
Online Theatre performance
This online performance of Coriolanus, based on Shakespeare’s play, was created in 2023-24 as an innovative project between the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham, UK, and the Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University in Ukraine. Directed by Natalia Dniprenko, the premiere took place on 26 March 2024 in Irchester, UK. The uniqueness of the event is that it was the first time the new technology of Live Screen Theatre was tested. The audience sat in a small village in the UK, and the actors played for them from different countries of the world: Ukraine, Poland and Switzerland. This interactive performance with audience participation was broadcast in parallel on Telegram.
Dasha Dashkevich
View from the Window
Digital video (duration 9:04)
In an apartment within a city consumed by war a young couple finds themselves on a journey through the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. As the world they once knew crumbles, their love becomes both a refuge and a source of conflict. The film delicately portrays their emotional evolution, culminating in a heart-wrenching yet hopeful decision driven by their unwavering love for one another. A story of resilience, loss, and the transformative power of human connection amid chaos.
Varvara Mozhaeva
Together with Illia
2023
Digital video (duration 10:45)
This video work is Varvara’s graduation thesis. By the time she defends her diploma, there have already been many dead Ukrainian boys. Varya just couldn’t help but pay tribute to them. Illia studied at the same institute, he was talented, handsome and courageous. From the very first days, he volunteered to defend the country from the enemy. Varya gathered actors who had evacuated to Germany, staged a play based on Illia’s poems with them and then made a film about how the locals perceive the words of the fallen Ukrainian poet.
Artem Novatsky
Man – Mission
(Digital video: 17:47)
This documentary film tells the story of a volunteer who risks his life to help people. During the conflict, people reveal themselves in different ways. Some people find themselves in saving the lives of others, helping with food and basic necessities. The film explores how the character of this individual evolves through his efforts to help and save his fellow Ukrainians in their struggle to survive the invasion of their country.
Oleksandr Petrenko
Ulysses
Cross-media performance
Petrenko present a non-linear digital online performance based on James Joyce’s novel “Ulysses”. It uses cross-media technologies with the narrative unfolding across a website, Instagram and TikTok. The project explores the role of the viewer in independently shaping the plot and maintaining constant connections with the characters of the play. The production has no time limits. Rather, it employs an epochal time dimension to reflect the enduring qualities of the narratives at play in Joyce’s work.
Yury Pupyrin
Position
2023
Digital video (duration 27:28)
The film tells the story of a group of Ukrainian soldiers from a territorial self-defence battalion who are on their way to a combat position in the ‘grey zone’, a few hundred metres from enemy positions. Their task is to hide from enemy fire for two days, to observe the enemy unnoticed, to help adjust artillery fire, and just to live. And, if the enemy attacks, they are the first to engage in combat. Yury is a direct participant in all these events.
Anton Shevelov
Digital photographs
2022-2025
Shevelov is currently an Officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Special correspondent of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Until February 24, 2022, Anton was the co-owner of a travel company, professional photographer and mountain guide, visiting more than 80 countries. On February 24, the war caught him on his thirteenth ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Cutting short his ascent, he return to Ukraine to volunteer in the armed forces to protect his country. The images presented for FORMAT25 were made on the frontline of the conflict.
Yelyzaveta Derzhovytska
Mixed media on digital photographs
These images were made as visceral responses to the beginning of the full-scale military invasion of Ukraine. Yelyzaveta revised her creative approach to create dioramas, using mixed media and abstract forms, superimposed upon photographs of the urban environment of Kyiv. They act as a means to reflect upon the challenges faced by the civilian population of Ukraine during this time of ceaseless violence.
