Arsenale 2012 kicks off
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10-meters high “Golden Lotus” was created for Arsenale 2012 by Korean artist Choi Jeong Hwa
Arsenale 2012, one of the most anticipated cultural events of the year, kicked off on May 23, pulling together works by global stars such as China’s Ai Weiwei, the U.K.’s Chapman Brothers and modern Ukrainian artists.
The exhibition has filled the 24,000 square meters of Mystetskiy Arsenal, a government-run art space created by former President Viktor Yushchenko.
“Works of Ukrainian artists are on display together with the works of world’s famous artists, putting our country on the world’s cultural map,” Natalia Zabolotna, general director of Mystetskiy Arsenal said at the opening.
Arsenale is hoping to eventually become an alternative to the Venice Biennale, an art show that runs in the years between Arsenale’s planned dates. More than Hr 38 million was spent to set up the first Ukrainian event. Organizers are hoping to recover 50 percent of the amount from the state; sponsors covered the other half of the costs.
“This is the first biennale [of its kind]; the works you’ll see here you will never see at any other biennale,” said David Elliott, one of the top world’s top art curators who was in charge of the exhibition called “The Best of Times, The Worst of Times.”
Elliott says the artists were asked to describe the past, present and future in terms of art. The majority of the works were created within the last two to three years and you can expect to see anything from huge frescoes to video and photo installations on display.
Story by Anastasia Forina
Photos by Kostyantyn Chernichkin