Why Kharkiv?

We cannot ignore the fact that Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine and a hub of art, science, and technology, has been subjected to daily bombings by the Russian Federation since the onset of the war, which have dramatically intensified in recent months. A historically significant, thriving and culturally vibrant city is on the verge of becoming a gray zone, risking to be completely destroyed. To date, over 20,000 buildings have been devastated, with restoration costs estimated at over $10 billion. In January 2024 alone, 62 historic buildings were damaged, and hundreds of thousands of people lost their homes, forced to flee the city.

Avant-garde Legacy and Proximity to the Frontline

A centre of the avant-garde thought in the past, a vibrant artistic, scientific and cultural centre today, Kharkiv remains the major city in its proximity to the frontline with Russia subjected to daily shelling and destruction of its heritage.

Historical Significance: City of Technologies and Universities

As a city of technology and education, it boasts Ukraine's first university – Karazin University, and Nobel Prize winners such as Lev Landau, Ilya Mechnikov and Semen Kuznets.

Legacy of Famous Artists and Artistic Infrastructure

Kharkiv brought to life outstanding avant-garde artists such as Borys Kosarev and Vasyl Yermilov as well as the famous phenomenon of the Kharkiv School of Photography and many other important artists. It is a home for grassroots and community-based initiatives and apartment exhibitions since the 1950s till today.

Prospect of the exhibition project is to reintroduce Kharkiv for its artistic and scientific innovations and to reconnect communities affected by war.

YermilovCentre

Despite the seemingly unbearable conditions, the YermilovCentre has never ceased its professional activities. On the contrary, the demand for cultural events has increased. For the residents of Kharkiv, art offers one of the few avenues to experience a semblance of normalcy amidst the chaos.

YermilovCentre, established in Kharkiv in 2012, stands as one of the leading art institutions in Ukraine. Named after avant-garde artist Vasyl Yermilov and affiliated with V.N. Karazin University, it fosters innovation and interdisciplinary projects while serving as a vital hub for students engagement. With the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, YermilovCentre, housed in a 1920s constructivist building, emerged as one of the safest places in the city at times being used as a shelter.

• Website: yermilovcentre.org/
• Facebook: facebook.com/YermilovCentre/
• Instagram: instagram.com/yermilovcentre/

Upcoming Exhibition Project @YermilovCentre, Kharkiv, Ukraine

August 29 to November 17, 2024

The "SENSE OF SAFETY" is an exhibition set against the backdrop of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and the relentless bombardments of Kharkiv.

Hosted at the YermilovCentre that turned out to be one of the safest places in the city and occasionally serving as a shelter, the exhibition delves into the notion of safety amidst impending disaster and profound discomfort. It explores how we devise tools to stabilize ourselves in the face of fragility, questioning what truly guarantees stability and whether there is any place that offers genuine safety or merely the illusion of it. The exhibition examines various strategies of stabilization, from superstitious objects and rituals to automatic actions and collective educational practices.

This international exhibition empowers the residents of Kharkiv to create a sense of unity and interconnectedness, reimagining the art institution as both a literal and metaphorical shelter, showcasing resilience in the face of adversity.

The "SENSE OF SAFETY" expands the conversation to an array of cultural organizations and artists across Europe, establishing a network of solidarity and shared experiences that underscore the deceptive nature of safety amidst crisis.