art in ukraine - how to thrive during a crisis

Hello everyone reading. It is pleasure for me to finally share information about how art works in Ukraine, how it used to, and how it hopefully will.

I'm a writer, and first of all as a writer I'm active. I've started creating poetry at the age of 7, supported by my loving parents who simply gave me colourful magazines to describe in the form of verse. I would write a lot, then quit, promise myself to never do it, then start writing again. I would take part in local state-organized or NGO-sponsored contests, win or lose, but never give up. I would suffer (first because of guys, then because of the situation in the world (wars, diseases etc.), and write. Not only because writing is therapy, but first of all because it's a world-outlook that you share.

However, I realize writing is part of a bigger picture which is art as a system, a segment of a cultural background in which we grow, interact, create and change.

I know what Ukraine should be associated with in the first place. This is our art, reflecting our beauty and willpower. These are our painters, composers, writers, lots of whom are really underestimated even within the country. These are (it finally starts working, yaay!) our art managers and NGOs that do their best to promote art. These are the topics and messages conveyed which are much deeper and much more powerful than the casual observer might expect.

So here it is, another crisis in Ukraine. We do everything we can to overcome it. We work hard, and those who serve in the Army take pains to protect us. The art reflects all the social trends around.

It sometimes even helps create them. In this essay I'm going to tell you about the stems of Ukrainian art, its tight bonds with Europe, the ideals and ideas which stand behind beauty, the links between beauty and the idea of a strong government.

There will be some facts and evidence from the underground. I had to rub shoulders with people whom I don't support at all just in order to grab this information. Personally, I support healthy lifestyle, and sometimes I was attacked for that (not every artist thinks this way).

Let me be direct. What I really espect you to do is to visit museums … and invest into museums. Back in 2009, in France, I was amazed by the quality of local museums. They are fabulous! The meaningfulness and depth of the works is connected with high quality service and a peaceful atmosphere. The pictures shine, the artists shine too, the consumer is happy, the dialogue is there.

This is the result I would like to see in my country. Now I adore every inch of it, though I see so much that needs to be corrected. What we should start with is the mentality.

During the Soviet Era art was perceived as an ideological instrument. It would be monumental, schematic and passionate (both in a positive and in a negative way). However, the personality of an artist would suffer. It was not only because of the conflict with the government, it was because of the hungry and angry crowds wanting more, more, more of you, regardless of the price of your emotions. From the point of view of science, art can be pretty much everything – a way of self-expression, a weapon for a bloodless fight, part of public/private treasury, a dialogue, part of a philosophical paradygm, even a joke. What requires special attention is the predomination of psychoanalysis in art interpretation – there is art science for discovering art background, first of all, and panpsychism can be a dangerous trend, at least in our country in the time of crisis.

Previously, the institutions would push one point of view on arts (a matter of propaganda), and reject the other points of view, so sly artists would survive while the passionary ones would be destroyed, first of all on the information/reputation level.

On behalf of the whole Ukrainian art community (I dare to say so because I've talked to more than 400 artists, art managers and producers and have monitored the activity of 2000 more, thus I can imagine what the other thousands might think),

I ask those in charge to support Ukrainian art, both Ukrainian-based and diaspora-related, to have a look not only at Eurovision songs (yes, they are sometimes huge), but also at tiny private galleries of Kyiv and regional centres, hubs, folk art festivals and our literature – wonderful, magnificently alluring with its patriotic identity and international charm. It is here that you should concentrate – here lie the lies. Many talented Ukrainian writers were killed. Even for fellow citizens their stories are revealed only now – to some extent thanks to mild European correction of the governmental procedures.

Their craving for the truth would put their lives to an end, but you personally can revive them by recalling their names and enjoying their writings.

On the contrary to our welcoming restaurants and clubs, libraries and museums need financing and proper means of communication. What we do in return is country modernization and mentality reframing – we get rid of old waste (on all levels), create new methods of manufacturing, sharing, producing, promoting arts, we are (and hopefully will be) quite free in terms of art interpretation, more grants for the media – and more individual exchange programs for art experts. Please make sure that life goes on after 25/30, so everyone will be extremely grateful if you create more programs for people of all ages in order for you to stay the Europe we believe in – democratic, wise and graceful.

Performing arts will go on developing, as I suppose and predict, and performers of Ukraine will finally get a good pay. I believe that social messages can be spread without public nudity. After having moved from Odesa to Kyiv, I've made my first money in performance by drawing up a scheme of how much and why a good interpreter must be paid and leaving that sheet of paper by the window. My only viewer (a teacher, luckily!) was impressed. The banknote I've received had a special taste – a taste of adventure.

We, a new generation of Ukrainians, support the idea of meaningful art that sells well – and we have big talents and big data to prove it.

If this requires diminishing the Church influence on the state while modernizing science, so be it! However, this means the economy should be clearer than ever to laypeople and/or small businesses.

Now let's go on to rare and funny data. Hope you enjoy it. This video will help you acquainted with 100 years of Ukrainian literature in 100 minutes.

http://svitliteraturu.com/load/dopomoga_uchnju_z_ukr_lit/video_lekciji/100_rokiv_ukrajinskoji_literaturi_za_100_khvilin/58-1-0-880

I hope this year will bring prosperity to the whole world and new ideas to cultural fields of all countries.

Maryna Tchianova, poet, writer, translator, civil activist

25.01.2017