24 May – 25 June 2023
Sometimes cataclysms clear the head no worse than experienced psychotherapists. And everyday problems no longer seem so large-scale, what used to seem so significant loses its unbreakable authority. Instead, it is renewed, becoming painfully bright, the perception of simple things, such as the soft light of the morning sun, the warmth of the eyes of relatives, the taste of your favorite coffee in the park... And, in the end, in these extraordinary conditions, the greatest and only value becomes the present moment: losing – we find it!
As if this is exactly what the artist Vladyslav Shereshevsky felt for the first time in his life while tasting the hot Kyiv pastry, which had just resumed work in its permanent place to the sound of rocket fire. One way or another, these experiences were later reflected in the work "Kyiv Pastry", in honor of which the exhibition is named. The artist urges us not to be too serious, because, as Oscar Wilde said: "The world has always laughed at its own tragedies, because that was the only way it could endure them."
Kyiv artist Vladyslav Shereshevsky, a well-known master of ironic painting, not only mocks the difficulties of life, but also states in some places the direct interdependence between the view and reality itself. As a result, the immediate impression was the image of a small, grimy boy with a pie in his hand, wearing a cap with the Nike logo (Nika (Greek: Nike - victory) - the goddess of victory in Greek mythology), with his gaze directed to the sky, where “Kalibrs” and “Iskanders” suddenly turned into images of rockets from children's wallpapers. "Kyiv Pastry" is a landmark piece for the artist, because it precedes the cycle of paintings created by the master during the attempt to seize Kyiv and reflects his attitude to today's realities as a whole.
One way or another, the realities of our present horrify even incorrigible optimists, forcing them to look for moral support in common sense. Even in the artist's tragicomic works, the scale sometimes leans towards tragedy, leaving comedy somewhere in the background. Acutely experiencing the events (because true art is born only in this way), the artist does not allow himself to plunge into this emotional maelstrom with his head (which we are not advised to do) and returns to his witty provocative reminiscences and metaphors.
The exhibition presents not only the artist's original reflections on recent events, but also a figurative reproduction of things and symbols associated with Ukraine in the minds of each of us. Shereshevsky sees the very soul of things in everyday traditional dishes, which become also a reason for interesting painting experiments for the artist, arousing in the viewer something more than just an appetite...
Bright people are so needed in these dark times. The scarier the present, the more we lack simple joy. The creativity of Vladyslav Shereshevsky allows us to find this joy within ourselves, rise above problems and, together with the author, laugh at them right in the face.
Curator: Anastasia Shvydyuk
Project group: Olena Borymska, Oleksandra Ryzhova, Oleksandra Kabakova
The full price of the ticket is 200 UAH.
